Bis zur Dämmerung
by Freyr Nidhogg
Summary: When grief will drown you, what will help you to find hope again? Jr. is desperate to run away from himself but will he suceed? Who will rescue him? His Angels or his Devils?
1. Bis zur Dämmerung

**Comment: **This is my first story. Had it in mind for a longer time now.

**Beware spoilers from Xenosaga 2 and 3 ahead!**

I was surprised that other author's kinda had similar ideas (the fun thing about getting Jr. drunk seems interesting to many ;) ).

I started following the game's frame a little but I won't follow the places and time thing to the end. Please go easy on me, if you find mistakes your free to keep them ! I'm not a native English speaker but I'll try my best.

**Rated M for drug abuse, language and Albedo. Beware Shounen-ai ahead, don't like don't read! Though I have to admit not to much of it (who knows what the next chapter will bring). **

Oh, before the story starts: I don't own Xenosaga or any of those wonderful characters. Else, I would throw a party and would never stop grinning.

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><p><strong>Bis zur Dämmerung<strong>

Chapter 1

It was the moment he had feared all the time since he had abandoned Albedo the second time after the destruction of Omega. Why was he not able to shake of the bond between them, he had all reason to do so. Over and over again his dark half had stalked him, teased him and worst off all had hurt his friends. How could he forgive him for what he did to Momo? A rush of anger flooded over him. How did it start? When did it start? He began to remember…

The day started as always. Jr. woke up from the gentle, wet touch of his dogs nose.

"Alby, up already? Ya could let me sleep a little longer, you know?"

The tiny dog barked in excitement and jumped off the bed, indicating with a slight nod of his head towards the empty dog bowl, why he wanted his little master to get up. "Right, right, I'm coming!"

A smile appeared on his face. He did love to care for the fluffy hairball. He chuckled when the dog started jumping of joy when he took the dog food out of the cupboard.

"Here ya go!" Jr. leaned against the wall watching the dog eat, when suddenly he remembered something. Wasn't he supposed to met up with Gaignun this morning? In a rush he dressed himself, locked the door and ran towards the foundation.

As he was just running through the park between his location and the foundation when he suddenly stopped. That really looked a lot like the little green park at the Yuriev's facility.

He couldn't tell why but suddenly he left the main road and slowly stepped deeper in the artificial forest. He walked without even knowing where he was heading. The warm and soothing air played with his crimson hair. He believed that he heard birds singing, their sweet song in the almost tranquil surrounding.

Jr. stopped when he was in front of a tree that looked exactly like… He shivered. Didn't Albedo make those horrible graves in front of such a tree back then? A chill ran down his spine. The air felt like it was vibrating, tensing and then Jr. stopped breathing. Didn't he just fell his right heart beating?

Surely it did beat! How could this be? All he had wished for, since that doomed day, was to fell this comforting strong beat again, but know that he did, he felt like falling in a dark pit. His eyes widened as he watched a shadow emerge from behind the tree.

His twin brother walked slowly towards him. Knowing that his pray would not make an attempt to get away. To strong was this sudden impact on his older brother. He took a deep satisfied breath.

"Ah, so lively, isn't that Rubedo my dear brother? Didn't expect you here." Jr. slowly regained his voice. "Al, Albedo? Why, How, how is this possible? I've seen you die!"

Tears started to built up in the corner of his eyes. "You died, you left me alone! How could you just be here? Everyday I was blaming me for what I have done and now you're just standing here completely fine?" The volume of his voice had increased by the last few words.

The tears started to flow down. Albedo shock his head: "Now now, usually you are behaving so strong and wild. How come you are bawling now like a little kid, just because you see me again?" he let out a cackle. "You bastard!" forcefully Jr. ran his sleeves over his face to dry away his tears. When he looked up again Albedo had moved from his position.

Suddenly two strong arms wrapped around his waist from behind. "Ah, my beloved brother, regained your composure?", he asked in a teasing voice. "Let go of me! Don't touch me!" Jr. struggled violently but his grown-up brother held him tight.

One gloved hand moved up to rest on Jr.'s heart. Albedo closed his eyes and stood, what seemed for the red-haired Variant like an eternity, silent as if he where in a trance. something inside his chest, almost as if a fire was slowly spreading and then it was gone:

"Aww, I can feel it, you're not yet ready to face the truth that lies deep inside you, Rubedo.", he said somewhat disappointed. "But remember that: I'll be back and then you will have to accept your destiny, my wretched other half!" The grip around his body loosened and Jr. whirled around.

All that he could see were the trees and the soft grass underneath his feet. No sign of his twisted brother anywhere. Why did he suddenly vanished without really doing anything? Had he been dreaming? It felt more than real. Without really thinking about it his right hand moved to his right chest.

Nothing but silence greeted his fingers where just a moment ago a strong heartbeat had touched him. Confused and ever so often turning his head around while walking, he continued his way to the main tower were Gaignun was waiting for him.

"You look horrible! What happened to you?" Gaignun bend down to look Jr. straight in the eyes. Junior remained silent but after feeling uncomfortable to stare in those blazing green eyes for too long he looked away.

Slightly as a feather the younger, yet much older looking man, reached out to him mentally: _"Jr. tell me!"_

His voice always sounded so strong and warm. Junior leaned against it, grabbed the comfort and after he calmed down answered. _"It was Albedo, at least I think it was him. I thought I felt his heartbeat and there he was."_

Gaignun's eyes widened. _"Really? I didn't feel a thing. …How could he have been talking to you. Didn't you say he was dead? And even if he would be alive, which I think is not very likely, how should he have managed to get into the Kukai Foundation without us knowing?"_

"How should I know!" Jr replied now using his voice again, shutting Gaignun forcefully out of his mind. "Jr.!" Gaignun as well used his voice.

"Have you been drinking again? I told you that your body isn't strong enough, even though your legally allowed to…" "I didn't! Gaignun stop behaving like my father! I've seen him! Don't you believe me?" the black haired man leaned back and watched him with sad eyes.

"Rubedo, I know It was a shock to lose him, but he is gone. You have to accept that!"

"Don't call me by that name! I am Jr. now…you know what, Arrww…think whatever you like. I'm not insane." With those words he turned around and hurrying left the room.

The doors closed automaticly and left behind a shocked man, who sat down in his chair, looked into the screens in front of him and sighed.

"This stupid Gaignun! How could he believe that I made up such a story….and, damn, who told him that I have been drinking?"

Jr. had started with that bad habit after he had thought that Albedo was gone. To sooth the pain, especially when it was dark and lonely in the evening, he drank.

Only then he could finally fall asleep. All those pictures hunting him: URTV's running wild, Albedo small and fragile fighting against U-DO, Sakura dying, Albedo blowing his head of, guilt that all his attempts to save others failed. He would never be able to forget any of those hurtful memories.

At daytime he was at least able to put up his normal face. Mostly for Momo but actually for everyone. He didn't want them to be concerned. And somehow he felt embarrassed about it too. Who would understand his grief for a maniac that tried to kill a bunch of people (and ever so often successfully did so)?

He had been pretty sure that no one knew about his drinking habit. Did Gaignun spy about him? Well, probably he just knows about the link, Junior thought to himself. His head was spinning with all those gloomy thoughts bothering him, so he went to the little bar close to his domicile, were he could sit down for a moment and sort things out.

"The usual?" The barman asked him. "Yeah, thanks!" Junior went to his favorite place from which he could watch the trespassers without being seen himself. The barman put the drink in front of him, then turned around to service the other guests. This was probably the only bar that sold liquor so early and to a young male that looked no older than 12. But then again, the staff knew him…

After a few hours had passed by Junior finally thought about going back. He tried to get up but immediately fell back on his chair. How much did he have, he wondered, when a stranger was approaching him: "My, my what a cute little boy you are! Are you alone here?"

The woman smiled. She was dressed in a short red dress, with high boots and a lot of jewelry on her. "Did you drink? Oh, what a naughty young man!" She laughed. "Want me to help you, my dear?" Junior nodded and with the help of the woman he got up. She half-carried him outside and started to walk into the direction that Junior pointed to.

"To say the truth, my dear, I have been watching you some time in there. You looked so depressed and sad. I was wondering what evil could make such a pretty boy suffer like that?"

Jr. stiffened. "I, I…"he stammered with a heavy tongue. "I killed my own brother…not just him *hiccup*, .. probably was even 'de cause dat', dat' my other brothers went i-in-insane *sniff* and today I saw my dead brother again."

The woman stopped and looked at him searchingly. "What the hell are you talking about? Nah, I shouldn't listen to a drunken boy." But Junior continued to speak: "It hurts so much. I ca-can't take it anymore. My chest hurts so badly. Why won't id' stop?"

A vile expression passed over the woman's face. "You want the pain to be gone? You have something that you want to forget. Is that true?"

"I woulda' do anything just to make 'dese picures go out of my head!"

"That can be done. Quit simply. Look, I have just what you need, my dear."

She grabbed inside her purse and dug out a little package with a little flower on it. " This is the just released medicinecalled "Vergissmeinicht" in short "Vimini.", just take it, and you will feel so much better! You can have it for free today. If you need more call me, but then you have to purchase it!"

She handed over the package with the sweetest smile, turned around and left Junior on the middle of the road. "Whad' was dat' right now?" He glanced at the weird box in his hand, shrugged his shoulders and, wobbling from one side to the other, continued his way to his apartment.

After his arrival he sat down on the bed, the little box on this thighs. Slowly he opened the lid. Inside the box where three tiny nano-injectors. He pulled one out and turned it around.

"Forgetting… with these it will be possible? Hum, what if it is something else?" Pictures of berserk U.R.T.V's flashed through his mind. "Arrw, whatever, maybe that's the solution I was looking for." He placed the injector on the inside of his arm and pricked his skin.

Almost immediately he felt a warm sensation run through his body. Everything seemed so easy now. Nothing worried him. Finally he felt free from his guilt. He slept through till the next morning…

…

Six months had passed since that day. Everyone on the Elsa was terribly busy. The ship had been renewed and even upgraded, thanks to Helmer who donated some money as a reward for everything they had done for the federation.

During that time Matthews had been seen jumping around the ship singing some weird song to himself: "When the ship is doing well and the money sure does dwell, when the work is getting done Helmer pays us off, we won!"

Hammer and Tony had already learned a dance that would fit to Matthew's performance and sometimes made a background chorus: "Money flows to Elsa's delight, now we'll flying fast as light."

Whenever that had happened Chaos just walked by and tried his best to ignore them or claimed that he didn't know any of them to begin with.

But not only things had changed with the Elsa. Shion had resigned from Vector due to the moral conflicts that weighted upon her. She moved to Pedia Island where she had started an unofficial search for the truth behind everything.

Only Allen's invitation to meet Kosmos again had made her stop her interrogation for a while and caused her to launch Dinah to get to fifth Jerusalem.

At the same time Ziggy, Momo and even Jin accompanied Jr. on the Durandal, which was heading for fifth Jerusalem as well.

Momo had been so happy to see Jr. again. She had been with her mother and hadn't had the time to speak with Junior over a communicator. So their first meeting had been so great.

He had hugged her and she had given him a smile that even an angel would have been proud of. But soon after they had exchanged a few words she was sure that something wasn't right with him.

He talked big mouthed and loud as ever but though he had always possessed a flashy nature, he was just trying to hard to look happy. When he wasn't participating in the conversation and his smile lessened, his face appeared fatigued and his shoulders would drop just a little. Maybe Gaignun had him work very hard for skipping work over and over again?

She was interrupted in her analysis of Junior when Jin asked her about the recovering of the Y-Data. She politely answered all questions and after a few minutes she had forgotten about the strange behavior the 26 year-old man, trapped in the body of a 12 year-old, had showed.

Shelley approached them waving her hands energetic and said: "We docked to the hangar! Can we go shoppin'? Please little master!"

…

Connected through a red wire of fate that bound them all together, they would meet soon, not knowing what things where about to happen in the future.

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><p>Comment: If you liked it or if you did not, remember, reviews will always help the plot! :)<p> 


	2. Sie nannten ihn Drache

Second chapter, I hope you will like it.

I don't own Xenosaga or any characters.

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><p><strong>Sie nannten ihn Drache<strong>

**Chapter 2**

Jr. thought to himself that everything had worked out just fine. He had been afraid that Momo or someone else would have just starred and him and said :"Jr. is there something wrong with you?" He probably wouldn't have been able to answer that question. For he himself didn't know what was going on. Of course, the use of his "medicine" had some effect on his body but he was convinced that he could stop taking it anytime he wanted. It only helped him to get over his nightmares which had increased a lot over the last months.

His nightmares that majorly consisted of one person and how that person wouldn't stop to hunt him.

…

_*5 months ago, Kukai Foundation*_

"Jr. will you please for once in a while do the work that your supposed to do?"

"Come on Gaignun! It's no fun to read those reports, especially for the entire day. Besides, they really don't give us any new information about the things that we really wanna know! Maybe you shouldn't read them either, I have the feeling they turn you in a horrible accurate person, who will die eventually from the lack of enjoyment. Believe me, every year thousands of hard working business people die because of that!"

"Jr. please! If you at least finish two or three, I would be the happiest brother in the entire universe!" A slight smile appeared on the older-looking man's lips. "Or the happiest father, chose one!"

"I rather chose brother, because as a father you really suck, no offense!" Jr. grinned, but turned sour again when he saw Gaignun pick up some papers and folders, carried them to him and finally with a loud thud, placed them on the table.

"Man, you really won't let it slip this time, will ya?"

"Your precisely right with your assumption. Look, if you would, for a change, start right away without nagging and arguing, you'd be done in a flash."

Grumpily Jr. slumped on the chair next to him and looked at his pile of papers, as if he was trying to set them on fire just by willpower. He maybe would have succeeded with his project, if it wasn't for a sudden announcement broadcasted over the speakers: "Master Gaignun Kukai, please come to the office immediately. I repeat, Master Gaignun please come to the office immediately."

"What happened now? Did your office collapse because of the immense weight that your papers sum up to? You need to apologize to the poor victims when they suddenly find a folder stuck in their head!"

"Jr. as much as I like your vivid pictures, I'm sure that didn't happen and, please stop to look so disappointed that you won't see people wounded by a stapler, it's probably just Helmer calling in. Behave while I'm gone or else you can do the financial report of the foundation too!"

"All right! All right! Whatever makes you happy!"

The younger looking boy watched his brother leave. _"But you did find the idea funny too!"_

He felt a warm wave run over him as Gaignun answered his message: _"Of course not, start working!"_

The red-head just loved it when he could spend time with his younger brother. Gaignun was the only one left from his comrades but that was not the only reason why Junior held him precious. He couldn't even remember a time when he had been without him. His gentle and smart behavior was the only thing that Jr. couldn't win against. He tried it sometimes but Gaignun somehow had this talent to outwit him. Not that the younger variant was more intelligent, he just seemed to have this gift called "Keep Jr. of the streets when he is in a bad mood and has his guns about him"-ability.

The sun just started to rise in the foundation (Jr was so proud of the randomly generated weather) and Jr. watched the clouds change from blue to a deep purple, when he felt something move behind him.

Before he was able to dodge or to grab his guns, something hit his head. His vision turned black. He fell from the chair and dropped on the floor.

"Again, I can't believe that you fell so easily under my control!" A disturbing laughter filled the air. When Jr. opened his eyes a pitch black surrounding extended around him. His head was hurting so bad and he couldn't shake the dizziness off, that lingered over his mind.

"Hm, not in the mood to answer me? Well, how rude! Didn't your father teach you to show some manners? Oh, yes I remember, he never taught the both of us anything, right? Only our beloved Nigredo got that much attention. What are you sitting there for, don't you want to stand up and try to escape?"

Jr. gritted his teeth. "Hell as if I would want to fall about some crap lying around in this darkness, only so that you can laugh at me, no thanks really!"

"Darkness? You're not speaking of that wonderful soothing darkness that enlaces humankind's soul? The dark pit that all men will fall into, after struggling against their own human instincts. The impenetrable cage that consists out of fear, guilt and something called failure?" he asked with a blithe voice.

"Stop it Albedo! I mean this "there is no light or window so it's dark" kind of blackness." He angrily answered his demented twin.

"Why, could it be, my precious ruby, that you can't see? There is plenty of light around us. The sun just gleams upon us. Bright and strong only to show us how pitiful we all are, but surely she must have pity with you especially." Jr. heard the rustle of fabric as his his brother started to creep closer to him. Still everything remained black and colorless.

Maybe the injury on his head made him blind, he thought. Panic flashed through his mind. How was he supposed to fight if he couldn't see what he should aim at? His guns would be useless. He froze. What a stupid thought. As if his guns had ever been useful against this maniac. However he felt for his guns, struggled to get on his feet and just pointed them into the direction of the noise.

"Really wonderful, my beloved half tries to sting me with his hate. Your face just looks so beautiful filled with that anger. But, ow, without your eyes glaring at me, you appearance feels so much weaker."

Bullets left the guns when Jr. tried to silence the man, that had to be somewhere in front of him.

"You missed!"

He felt a hand on his chest pushing him forcefully down. The guns slid away over the floor, while Jr. fell hard on his back. For a moment the air was pushed out of his lungs and he tried to catch his breath, when he felt a weight on his stomach. Albedo must have seated himself on top of the boy. All of Jr. attempts to struggle free where stopped my Albedo's tight grasp.

The red haired variant shrugged back when he suddenly felt a cold hand move over his cheek. He was so disturbed by the simple fact that Albedo was perfectly still and wouldn't blow his cover of mystery by the crazy expression, that he probably had on his face right now.

Albedo started to touch him on random places just to irritate him further.

"Albedo stop it! I said STOP IT!" His small frame started bucking from the power of the red air that evolved around him.

The madman didn't wait till Jr. could release his power and leaned down to meet his brother's lips.

For Jr. hadn't seen it coming the shook caused his power to fade away in an instant. Jr. placed his hands on Albedo's chest and tried to push him away, but with his superior strength the white-haired URTV wouldn't move an inch.

Instead he moved a hand to Jr. thighs and started massaging them. To protest against this intimacy Jr. opened his mouth. Without hesitating Albedo pushed his tongue deep inside, to meet the the blinded boy's in a fiery embrace.

"_No, no stop it! Leave me alone! That's just wrong, you bastard, brothers shouldn't do something like that!" _He cried out over the link.

Nothing but silence responded to his desperate call. _"Albedo?"_

Silence, heavy, pure, irrevocable silence.

Confused Jr. stopped fighting and just tried as hard as he could, to look through the black drapes that covered this sick performance.

His twin stopped to kiss him. "What's wrong my love? Don't tell me that you have already given up? Or did you start to like it?" his laughter filled the air. But this time Jr. didn't feel this horrible sound go down his spine.

He just laid still. "A-Albedo?"

Abruptly the laughter stopped. What was he doing, Jr. wondered, after a few seconds passed without a word coming from his personal demon.

Suddenly the weight was gone.

Sounds of footsteps told him that the other now walked through the room. How he wished to be able to see what face Albedo was showing right now. Why had he suddenly given up on his prey so easily?

The older yet younger-looking boy heard a loud sigh.

"When will you finally be ready? When will you start to accept? Not today, that is clearly written all over you. I had my fun though. It's not happening every day, that one gets the chance to kiss such a sweet tasting flower." He chuckled.

"I bid you farewell my dear, but not goodbye."

And with that, Junior was left alone in the darkness.

While he was still wondering what to do now, he heard the door slide open a someone entering.

"Jr.? Why are you lying there? Can't leave you alone for a few minutes, can't I?" Rushed footsteps came closer and stopped right before him. "Hello? Still have a grudge against me, or why won't you take my hand? I only want to help you up."

"Ahm, well, sorry Gaignun I can't see your hand right now."

"What are you saying?" Jr. felt a strong hand grab his own and pulling him up.

"When you left me, there was Albedo!" He sputtered. "He hit my head and it seems I turned blind or something." He could fell wind blowing in front of his face. "Hey! Did you just wave your hands in front of my eyes?"

"Oh my god, Jr.! We have to get you to the ambulance. Your eyes didn't even flicker! Let me see your head!"

"Gaignun! Did you even listen to me? There was Albedo standing in this room just a moment ago but you don't seem to care!"

Gaignun's eyes had been locked on his older brother but now he allowed himself to slowly look around.

The chair was lying on the floor, but other than that, everything was just as it was supposed to be.

Albedo? Here in this room? Unlikely! It looked more like Junior had tilted back and forth with his chair, like he did so often, with his legs mindlessly resting on the table. Probably he lost the control and fell backwards, causing his head to hit the floor. Maybe he passed out and dreamt about his mirror-like twin.

By accident the red-haired variant caught his thoughts.

"I just can't believe this!"

"Please Junior calm down!"

"No, I won't calm down! Listen Gaignun, that wasn't a dream! I heard him talk to me!"

"So you never actually saw him?"

"Not exactly but, …but I just know it was him!" Jr. started to feel the panic coming back.

"Isn't there something irregular in this room, Gaignun? Please, tell me there is something!"

Gaignun started to be concerned. What was wrong with his small and fragile looking brother? He wanted to protect him against any harm but what should he do right now? Maybe he should just drag him to the clinic? Would Jr. be mad at him if he did so?

His thoughts where interrupted when suddenly Jr. shouted out: "I just remembered something! I tried to shoot him! There have to be bullet holes somewhere!"

Gaignun turned around and really found Jr. guns on the floor. He bend down, picked them up and examined them.

After a while he said, with a sad, but for Jr. invisible face:

"Jr. there still all bullets inside. No one of them is missing."

…

_*30 years ago, Dimitri's Research Lab, underground level*_

Glass pillars where standing at the walls in perfect rows. All of them filled with the blue harvesting fluid. Once in a while air bubbles disturbed the calmness inside those artificial wombs. Currently all of them where empty, all but one.

If one looked inside it, one could see a small boy hovering in the middle of the liquid. His hands rested crossed over his chest, while his knees where bend. A fetus he could have posed if it wasn't for his obvious teenage appearance. Wires where stuck in his arms and neck. He was asleep, as the scientists would have said. But the reality was less appealing. His mind was trapped in vacuousness, controlled by the screens in front of the pillar.

A man was tipping formulas into the computer. His hands moved in a ridiculous speed, not needing to rest, just following the complex thoughts that instructed them to move over the console.

A coworker approached the mid-aged man dressed in a white lab coat. "Dr. Yuriev, here are the reports from the realian reformatory you requested. Professor Paracelsus sends his best regards."

"Ah, maybe I can finally find a solution for my indecent problem." The doctor switched his attention to the papers that the coworker handed him.

"Yes, indeed, is that quite so?" He mumbled to himself as he started to go through the report.

"Shall I look after the newly manufactured U.R.T.V.'s, Dr. Yuriev? Some seem to have developed the ability to experience nightmares."

"Hahaha, yes, of course you are free to do so. Well, Nightmares? That sure seems to be ironic. The poor boys feel his presence since I awoke him from his sleep. They do not like him. Strange, for he is the strongest I ever created and maybe the only one who really can do anything against U-DO. They should worship him as their savior. Without him, they will fail their mission. They do have a point though, that he is dangerous. He is not following my orders at all. I can't control him when he isn't bound by the system. He just does how he pleases. Only his goal in front of his eyes, neglecting sympathy or reason. I did make him to focused on his purpose, I guess."

He turned to the pillar, deep in thought.

"Maybe I should give him a name to his number. He is special after all, isn't he? What would be a good one?" He rested his chin on his hand.

"Sir, are you asking me?"

"I'm not seeing anyone else around." An evil smirk appeared on the man's face.

"I don't really know any good names. I mean, what would be a fitting name for a being that can conquer U-DO, who is, as you said, something like a god or the source of our universe, right? …That gives me an idea! I read something about an ancient culture which believed, that all life is created by a large holy tree named "Yggdrasil". At its roots a giant serpent-like dragon gnaws and tries to bite through the frame that holds the world. So maybe we should name him after the dragon's name: "Nidhogg"?

"Ah, the dragon that, even so it might ends this universe's life, will still try to conquer the source of all existence. That suits him!" He looked up to the brown haired boy who, just in that moment, twitched his hands a little.

"So from now on you go by that name, Nidhogg my flawed son."

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><p><strong>I try my best to get the next chapter done. If you like, review. <strong>


	3. Unordnung sei mein Gift

Don't be surprised I jumped over the entire „Elsa got stuck, Kosmos had to be rescued, Shion bawled her eyes out"-thing and will get right to the "Junior is our man"-stuff

I know this chapter is a little confusing, on purpose though, I apologize! But I want to get the message across that Jr. slowly losses his firm stand on the ground. Enjoy!

**You know it already but here again: I don't own Xenosaga or any characters.**

(Else, I would have all action figures! Really if I ever find Rubedo, Nigredo or Albedo as an action figure on ebay I'LL GOTA HAVE THEM!)

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><p><strong>Unordnung sei mein Gift <strong>

**Chapter 3**

_*Fifth Jerusalem, after the arrival of the Durandal*_

As Myuki had suggested, everyone went into the city to relax a little after the long journey.

They still had time before they had to attend their appointment, that had caused them to travel through space:

Helmer had asked them to come to an urgent meeting that should not be made over communicators. It seemed as if he was afraid, that someone might listen to it unauthorized.

Highest security could only be secured when meeting physically, he had said. It wasn't too strange that he wanted to talk to the "special-Elsa-group"when it came to special jobs. It wouldn't be the first time that he had relied on the strength of this colorful party.

That Shion was currently on fifth Jerusalem as well, made things a lot easier. They now had just to wait till the appointed time.

So everyone decided to spend their free time with something fun.

Allen and Shion went to get some food, Ziggy and Jin went to the armory to look through the newest inventions. Chaos had wandered of to see a friend of him and Momo and Jr. went to the famous cafe to try out some cake, that was said to be the best in the universe.

Momo was excitingly chatting, pointing around at trespasser and obviously enjoyed herself.

No wonder after she had to do so much work on the Y-Data.

Just being a regular girl wasn't really possible for a 100-series-observation-realian. Jr. smiled whenever she addressed him but as soon as she turned elsewhere, he got back to his gloomy thoughts.

…

He had been lucky back at the foundation. Gaignun had carried him to the doctor, who had fixed his vision in no time.

Dr. Marmona had explained to him that a percussion had damaged his visual nerve but the damage wasn't to bad, he should just rest for a few hours and he should be good to go.

Happy that Jr. was alright and not going to be blind forever, Gaignun decided that he wasn't needed anymore and said that he must return to work.

That had caused Jr. to start laughing out loud, which earned him a harsh scolding from the doctors assistant.

"Gush, Gaignun! Your "son" is in pain and all you think about is getting back to your beloved papers. Tell me the truth, you like the paper-clips more than me! I mean I understand that they are awesome and that I don't have any chances to win against the stapler, even I love that thing, but, hey, I need some attention too!"

"Well, as soon as you're as quiet as all of them and you're able to connect papers just by hitting them with your head, I will reconsider to change my list of my favorite children."

When Gaignun left he continued amused over the link:

"_I'm sure you are also very sad, that you couldn't read that very interesting report, about the development of a new type of grass, that gives of 10 percent more oxygen, before you went blind. I'll make sure that the report will be waiting for you, when you're better again."_

"_Oh thank you so much. That would've really busted my day, not being able to read the whole section about modern fertilizer! Hey, did I tell you already, that you actually not only suck as a father but as brother too?" _

"_Not yet, but I think I can still claim to be your uncle when someone asks me. So I still have a chance. Now behave my dear nephew!" _

"_Don't go there! I won't like you anymore, when your suddenly turn out to be my grandmother in the end, understood?"_

After Gaignun had disconnected the link to the boyish-behaving man, he added:

"_I would still love you, whatever we would turn out to be to each other." _

After he was gone Jr. relaxed on the bed while the doctor made a few additional test.

An hour had passed when the doctor woke Jr. up, who had fallen asleep and had arranged himself around the soft pillow and blanket.

"I'm so sorry to stir you up already, but your body shows some weird results. Have you been under a lot of stress lately? Your whole circulation somehow is not in balance. I'd say that if I wouldn't know it better, some parts of your body are a little older than others. Hahaha what a stupid idea, don't listen to an' old doc's babble, I know your 14 years old." He laughed pretty loud, which caused his assistant to look up irritated from his computer again.

"Hohoho, …ahem…well sorry about that, now back to being serious…". He cleared his throat. "There is something else that is strange. We have detected an unknown ingredient inside your blood, that I have never seen before. Almost undetectable but it seems to have a similar structure as snake poison from ancient times, not enough to be harmful but still, can you explain that?"

Jr. turned pale. He had taken "Vimini" the evening before to get some sleep. He had to think of something convincing or else, everyone would find out.

"Well, uhm, I don't really know about that. Maybe, maybe it's from yesterdays drink, my uhm, father took me to that restaurant that sells a lot of exotic drinks, if you ask for them directly, for me non-alcoholic of course." Jr. added quickly.

"You must know the place. The Ironman is famous for new stuff. When I remember it correctly, what I had was called "amazons exciting flower-juice". Don't know what was in it, but it tasted pretty good."

Jr. had started sweating and hoped, that the doc was not seeing right through his lie.

He mustered a big innocent smile. The doctors face stayed immobile, then he nodded slowly.

"Oh yes, that could be the explanation. Maybe I should tell them not to use weird admixtures. More of it could be harmful, especially to children!"

Dr. Marmona had dropped the topic to Jr.'s delight and had let him finally go, without telling Gaignun about the weird results from the examination. Luck must have been on his side…

…

"Hello? Hellooohoo? Durandal calling Jr.! Anyone at home?"

Surprised Jr. jumped in his seat. Momo looked at him with her big golden eyes.

"I'm sorry what did you just say?"

"I asked you when the meeting is going to start. We spend quite some time here. Such a nice place though. Hihihi I liked the strawberry cake the most I guess, or the cherry biscuits? I can't decide! What where you favorite ones?"

"The vanilla, chocolate cake with icing." He answered. He liked it to have those easy and comforting conversations with Momo. She was so kind and friendly to everyone. One just had to like her.

He studied her a little closer. The pink hair was kept back by a ribbon. Her eyes sparkled when the light hit her in the right angle. No signs of exhaustion or worries disfigured her face. Plain cuteness in her words and her actions. It seemed like nothing would ever keep her from sleeping tight and calm and night.

A pang of jealousy ran through his mind.

How he would want to be so sorrow-free. Anger crept in his heart.

How could she be happy, while he couldn't even sleep through one single night anymore, without taking the injections?

His hands started shaking. _No!_ He felt his chest tighten. _Why now?_ It had suddenly come over him. He needed it as soon as possible. Everything else could wait.

"Momo I, ehm, I need to go to the restrooms, when I'm back we'll head to Helmer's office. The meeting should start anytime soon, right?"

Without waiting for an answer he stood up and almost ran to the back of the cafe.

He shut the restroom's door and locked it. With shaking hands he placed the needle on his smooth skin and activated the nanomaschine.

A single drop of blood ran down his arm and fell to the floor.

His heavy breathing started to slow down and his body relaxed. His thought wandered off again.

…

It had been a 2 months after the incident in Gaignun's office when he saw his nightmare again.

He had been wandering around on the streets looking for antique weapons, when he saw him. Just leaning against the walls of a house. Arms crossed, eyes firmly on the older variant. Jr. had held his breath. A crazy smile forged itself on the others lips. The much smaller variant could see, rather than hear, how the lips of the man, slowly but carefully formed his name:

"R-U-B-E-D-O"

Jr. eyes widened when he grasped the entire situation that happened infront of him:

How could he just stand there?

Amongst all the normal people?

Why did no one notice him?

Why was there no screaming?

Why did he not hurt anyone?

Why did he not hurt him?

Why in the world….?

He closed his eyes. He didn't want to see those violet eyes. That was just too much.

Should he contact Gaignun? He could finally provide the proof that Albedo really was back.

He could send Gaignun an image of the maniac, but for that, he had to look at him one more time.

Reluctant he opened his eyes again. The place at the wall was empty. Afraid Jr. turned around, almost expecting an attack from behind. He checked every direction but he couldn't see the lunatic anymore. He was simply gone.

Jr. had to grab a hold on a lamppost to not fall to his knees.

"Bastard!" Was all he could manage.

At another time, he was sure that someone had opened the door of his bedroom, had come closer and touched his hair. When he rose up, his guns ready to perforate any intruder, no one had been there. Only the faint smell of a flower hovered in the air, sweet but poisonous.

Again and again he saw him, felt him and lost sight of him in the end.

A circle, that he was unable to break but at the same time wouldn't allow him to run away. He hated it.

He tried to talk with Gaignun about it. The older-looking man had always shown that concerned face but claimed that he must have mistaken someone else for his white-haired twin. Maybe his guilt made him see those pictures, he had suggested. After all there was no physical sign that Albedo had ever been there.

Due to the uncertainty in Jr.'s heart, his condition had worsened. He had to take his "medicine" more and more often to calm himself down. The women in red, that he now knew as "Belial", provided him constantly with more of his liquid oblivion. He was happy that money wasn't his problem for him after all or he would have been in trouble already.

His, how he referred to it, "medicine"…Jr. had begun to wonder if his encounters with Albedo could be connected to it. At times he was close to believe that everything really just was his imagination playing tricks on him, like Gaignun kept saying, but then again he remembered their first encounter.

His second heart had beat before he met Belial.

…

Knock, knock, knock

"Sir! Would you kindly open the door?" a deep voice brought Jr. back into reality.

"You can't just look the door to the restrooms!"

Jr. got up on his feet. Stored all his items inside his pockets, splashed a little water on his face and went to the door to unlock it.

"What? A small brat? What where you doing in there?"

"Nothing! I'm sorry Sir I have to go!"

He just squirmed himself around the heavy, broadly shouldered man and ran to the table where Momo was waiting for him.

She had paid already, which indicated, that she had waited at least a few minutes for him. He made a note to himself to give her back the money, but first he just wanted to leave this place. He really didn't feel to well.

"You o.k. Jr.?" Concern in her voice, as if she had read his thoughts.

Unable to tell her a lie straight in the face, he just nodded, took her hand and lead her out of the cafe.

**End chapter 3**

* * *

><p>Hope your not disappointed! I know this chapter answers nothing really, but stay with me! The next chapter will have more Yuriev <span>and<span> more Albedo in it. Will be my turning point in the story. Got you interested? Review if you like, I'm glad for all help, critic or praise.

p.s. little translation: Bis zur Dämmerung = Till dawn, Sie nannten ihn Drache = They named him dragon, Unordnung sei mein Gift = Disorder be my poison


	4. Bis zum Abgrund

Me again. Whoaa, chapter 4 done.

The story really wouldn't let me stop. Sorry never intended it to be that long. ;)

Some random things: It's really hard to translate my thoughts into English without losing to much of my original idea. I hope that you'll still like it! I do my very best to get the grammar and spelling right but I don't have a proof reader, so please go easy on me!

**Beware Yaoi ahead! Don't like, don't read, please.**

And all of you, of course, waited for that sentence:

**Neither do I own Xenosaga, nor any of their characters.**

* * *

><p><strong>Bis zum Abgrund<strong>

**Chapter 4**

_*Fifth Jerusalem, business district, government headquarter*_

Everyone had seated themselves already when Jr. and Momo ran into the room. Gasping from the fast pace they had used to get to the meeting room.

"Did we make it?" The small boy turned his head at an antique clock that was decorating the wall. Confused that the clock didn't have any digital numbers to tell him the time, but just two needles that pointed at dots that where aligned in a circle, he frustrated gave up to use that, S_tupid thing!_ to gain information.

He heard a chuckle behind him.

"Yes Junior you barely made it, even so it will stain my reputation as a father, when my son is always the last to show up."

A well-dressed man, whom he hadn't noticed before, stood up and greeted both of them.

"Gaignun, what are you doing here?"

"Not happy to see me?"

"Sure I am, but I thought that only the fighters of the patriarch where supposed to meet here."

"Let me explain that to you, for it is closely connected to the meetings topic!" Helmer got up as well and showed Momo and Jr. a place where they could sit. The representative of the federation then turned around and activated a screen on the wall.

"First of all, I am really grateful that everyone was able to come! I know it was short notice but this matter can't be ignored anymore." He tipped in a password and dates showed up on the display.

Everyone in the modernly decorated room expectant waited for him to continue.

"I'll just be straight with you, we have a spy inside our system."

The faces of the attendant people turned serious.

"That, that can't be! Who is it?"

"We don't know yet, Shion. Everyone's working really hard on it, but apparently the intruder is really good at covering up his actions."

"So that's the reason why you wanted to talk to us personally, so that no one could overhear our conversation?"

"Yes, you are the only people that I can really trust, after all."

With a gravely concerned face Helmer turned back to the screen and pointed at the list of dates.

"At these times he went into our databases and stole information about all kind of things. Weapons, Development research papers, our current spaceships and their weak points. That's a real threat to us."

"Impossible!" Gaignun looked at one occurrence. "The Durandal's and the Kukai foundation's blueprints have been stolen too?"

"But these where highly secured information, without a password you can't get them that easily." Jr. rose from his chair.

When this theft affected the read head's beloved spaceship, as well as the foundation, it was no wonder that Gaignun had been invited too.

Anyone who had all those delicate data could really inflict a fatal blow to them.

Helmer placed his hands behind his back.

"It is not very pleasant to ask something dangerous of you again, but I'm afraid that there is no alternative way. Please could all of you try to find the person who is behind this? There is a clue that the intruder uses a secured U.M.N.-domain from where he operates. One observational realian said, that one signal, we picked up, came directly from within the encephalon."

"That means we need to perform a dive-in. It's quite dangerous to jump into a domain that some stranger created. If we use a device from the federation, the spy could maybe use that against us. When he traces our way back, he could obtain further information."

"Shion is right, only an independent diving machine will be safe enough!" Momo said.

Gaignun rested his chin on his hand: "Independent? Well, how about the Elsa's? It's s not listed and has no region code installed. No one can make a connection between the federation and the ship."

"Then we should go as soon as possible. We'll punch the asshole in the face and drag him out of his hideout!"

Jr. took his guns out and randomly pointed them at pictures, plants, the screen and finally rested upon the door.

"Come on guys! What are we waiting for?"

"Calm down Jr.! The Elsa is still at the foundation, forgot that? You came here by using the Durandal."

"Geez, I hate it when you have a point there, Gaignun."

He dropped the guns uncertain what to do now, when surprisingly Allen raised his voice:

"I don't know if you want to, but if its alright with everyone, we could spent some of the time, waiting for the Elsa, at the beach. I heard that they made one, after taking the Kukai Foundation's beach as an archetype."

A squeal could be heard from the tiny pink-haired realian, who joyful jumped from her seat:

"Oh that does sound like fun! Ziggy, please, can I go too?"

"Hum, should be alright. I'll accompany you after I'll get my swimsuit."

"You got a swimsuit?" Jr. eyes widened. "Somehow I can't even picture what it would look like. By the way, are you even allowed to go into the water, old man? Don't you oxidize, or somethin'?"

A loud clang was followed by a grump when Ziggy tried to catch Jr., who skillfully dodged the cyborgs attack. Jr. formed a victory sign with his fingers and grinned, but Ziggy wouldn't give up so easily.

One could only see a red and a silver flash, when a laughing boy dashed through the door, while a heavy, angry colossus followed him at his heels.

Gaignun apologetic turned to Helmer and the rest of the team:

"Please don't tell anyone that he belongs to me!"

…

_*28 years ago Yuriev institute, training section*_

The hall was full of noise. Yelling and Shouting filled the air and once in a while a cry of pain could be heard in between the sounds of fighting.

Young boys looking no older than twelve or maybe fourteen, battled against each other. Fear, pain and hate clashed , mingled together and suffocated anyone, who wouldn't be strong enough to stand against it.

The entire scene wasn't unobserved. Green eyes watched carefully, trying to find the one, responsible for that entire mess.

"Ah there you are my crappy failure, how could I create something so abhorrent! Sniper team, he is at eleven o'clock beating number eighty-eight to a pulp. Next to the emergency exit!" he spoke loudly inside his communicator to predominate the noise around him.

"Confirmed, we have him in our sight. Shooting at any time." Came the fast reply out of the transmitter.

"Do it!"

A single shoot and the scene altered. The fair-haired boys, that had fought one minute before, now just stood there, lifeless, dull, puppets, who where lost when their puppeteer laid down the strings.

"Get the medics down here. They have to clean this mess up."

"Roger that!"

He walked through whimpering boys and pushed apathetic children out of his way. Finally he reached a brown-haired boy, who was lying on his back. He slept soundly, caused by an arrowhead that stuck in his neck. He grabbed the boy harshly and half dragged, half lifted him over the floor to the exit, not caring if the small frame collided against obstacles in that process.

…

"What to do with you? Maybe I should not allow you to ever wake up again. What a shame, but then again, you didn't change at all. All my research in the past two years was for nothing."

The small boy was clamped securely on a metal bar. The system connected to his body with cables and wires, restricted him from interacting with his environment entirely.

"Please Sir. He just acted out a little. You must understand, Sir, that that was his first encounter with the other URTV's since you looked his mind inside the O.M.C.-system."

The founder of the institute turned around, his face showing his anger.

"When will you ever understand it? He didn't just "act out a little"! He manipulated his comrades thoughts to fight against all URTV's, that he couldn't get under his control, with his scheming tricks. The only one allowed to do that is ME! I am the one, who decides when and where I'll trash those little idiots!"

"I'm sorry sir, of course no one else is allowed to do that but, isn't he too valuable to be thrown away? Nidhogg is supposed to be the fail safe, if your attempt, to use Abel and the zohar against U-DO, should not work out. We don't have a plan B and…"

"A plan "B"? Well, that is something interesting, is it not? You inspire me to some good ideas once in a while, just be more careful with your words. I don't want anyone to know what my objectives are. If you will ever spout them out again, I will end your pathetic life. I assume that you don't want to drown in your own blood. Got that?"

"Ye-Yes Master Yuriev!"

"Now go! Get me the report that I got from Dr. Paracelsus two years ago. His ideas on permanent mind controlling via drugs didn't work out. That failure over there proved that quite vividly. We will try his suggestion, to do a surgery on the brain, to get the wanted results. You have had a point, when you said that he is indeed valuable. Disposing of him would let years of work go to waste."

Some values appeared on the screen and indicated a rising level of nerve function in the unconscious variants body. The mad scientist knitted his brows.

"I'm quite disappointed in Paracelsus work, I thought it would lead to a better outcome in the end."

He walked closer to the table while his assistant watched him with fear in his eyes. Dimitri Yuriev took a syringe, filled with an green fluid inside and pressed it inside the arm of the sleeping boy.

"What did y-?" Dr. Yuriev pulled the needle out of the variant's arm and threw the syringe carelessly on the floor.

"Plan B, that even has a good sound to it hahaha, I remember a part where Paracelsus said that, if one changes the basis DNA-structure right from the start, using genetically engineered tissue, one could get perfectly obedient soldiers. If I combine that research with Nidhogg's basic idea of infinite power, I'll maybe get what I want."

"But sir didn't the report also say, that the chances are high that unwanted effects destroy the test objects body's before they are born?"

"We will add some high regenerative power from my R-line experiments then. Everything will work out this time, I won't allow another throwback." His hands rested on the cold table.

"Before I forget it, how are the things going with my future vessels?"

…

_*time unknown, deep space, E S Simeon*_

_You Shall awaken from your deep slumber_

_Your rest is not an eternal one . . . not yet _

_Open your eyes . . ._

The white-clothed man slowly opened his lids. Repulsed from the light, he shut them tight again.

What happened? He tried to get the chaos inside his mind back in order:

There had been Rubedo.

He had mocked his twin.

He had awaken the red dragon.

They had fought against each other.

Finally Rubedo had granted him his wish.

The Kirschwassers had been there.

They took him by the arms and lifted him away from his reality of eternal pain.

Then finally it had been his alone: Oblivion, peace, freedom.

So what was this now? How could he be hovering in space as if nothing had happened?

He opened his eyes again, ignoring the pain that the light caused his eyes, until he had adjusted to it.

Undoubtedly he was sitting inside his E., which had been dissolved in the Y-Data. He had thought that the E.S. was gone. So who reconstructed it?

No! He realized. That was the wrong question.

WHO reconstructed HIM?

He could clearly feel that he was alive and, much to his disappointment, very well. He grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes.

His wonderful, perfect plan, to be set free by his brothers hands, which had been very hard to accomplish after all, destroyed recklessly by someone! He grew angry and mad. Who could have dared to barge in his affairs! He had been so close, so freaking close!

To channel his anger he hit the display infront of him, which caused his hands to bleed.

"Bordel!" he cried out, using his favored language to make it a stronger insult, to whomever it was addressed after all.

…

_*Fifth Jerusalem, at the beach, present*_

The artificial sun was shining upon the perfect yellow sand. The sky was presenting itself in the brightest blue. Some palms and boulders decorated the beach. Everyone had changed in their swimsuits. All but one…

"Jr., why do you wear your swimming trunks, but still have a long-sleeved shirt on. Don't they contradict each other somehow?"

Jin looked at the young boy, who was sitting under a sunshade, shifting quite uncomfortable from one side to the other on a deck chair.

"I don't want to get a sunburn. I get those easily, you know."

"I remember you being at the beach before, without wearing that much cloth and you looked fine to me."

"Things change you know. I'm a little more cautious now. Cancer is something that I don't want to get."

"You're exaggerating, but alright, do as you please. Ah, your little admirer wants you to play with her. Come on! You're not going to let her wait, will you?"

Momo waved at him, lifted a ball and then pointed at the sea. Obviously she wanted to play beach ball.

Jr. felt his heart start to beat faster and his stomach turn around.

Why did she have to play in the water? Couldn't they play on the beach? Yeah, that would solve his problem! He walked over to her.

"Hey Momo, I would like it much more to play volleyball on the beach, how about it?"

"Really? Ohh I see, um, if that's what you want it's fine with me."

Her face had dropped a little of disappointment. She had wanted to play with him alone but now the others would join the game.

Of course she was to timid to say anything, but when Jr. smiled at her, she was happy with whatever game they played, as long as they could spent time together.

They teamed up and had played a few rounds when, to their surprise, Gaignun showed up together with Mary and Shelley, all dressed in swimsuits too.

"No way! I have never seen you in boxer-like trunks! Or actually at a beach, when I think about it."

"Well and I have never seen you at the beach with a black, up-tight shirt on, that looks totally wrong with your pants. Are we even now?"

"I only protect my precious skin against the bad and dangerous rays, that want to destroy my beauty!" He boasted.

Gaignun's eyes widened for a moment, then he continued with his usual quick-witted "humor-Jr.-so-he-will-behave-"talk:

"I see, that is true, your beauty must be protected no matter what!"

With these words he gave Mary a sign, who jumped at a struggling Jr. and after a little fight, placed a green sun cap on his head.

"Gotcha, lil' Master!" She yelled out victoriously.

"Aww man! Shelley, are at least you on my side?"

"Little Master must be protected against any harm. So I approve of any action that will increase your well-being!" The lavender-haired woman said gently with a smile.

"You teamed up against me, that's no fair! Time for some payback! Come on, join the game so I can show you!"

…

Everyone had enjoyed the day on the beach. Allen had gotten in a fight with Jin, who of them had a better taste in swim clothes. They had both, hot headed, compared their choices from the last two years.

It all ended when Shion mixed in and declared, that both of them should maybe accept the fact that they have a horrible taste. She didn't even want to remember her brother wearing that much-to-short-and-not-hiding-anything loincloth and Allen wasn't winning any prices with his (well, what is that to begin with, she asked) pajama.

Surprisingly Ziggy wasn't bothered from anyone about the swimsuit question, but only because no one was brave enough to say anything, while he was carefully cleaning his built in, high-tech weapons from the fine sand that got stuck in his parts.

Chaos was clever enough not to draw any attention to his clothes and just went swimming instead.

The setting sun turned the sky in a red and violet shade when they finally decided to return to their rooms. Everyone picked their things up and slowly the group dissolved for the night. The ones connected to the Durandal and the 100 Series-realian stayed a little longer, admiring the dazzling sun set, that could almost put up a fight against the foundation's.

After a while also Gaignun and the Godwin sisters said goodnight and slowly walked off to the citizen area where their residence was located.

Momo and Jr. where the last to stay.

"I guess we should go now too before it's getting dark. You're coming Jr.?"

The small realian looked expectant at her friend. The young boy didn't take his eyes off from the clear sky and stood perfectly still.

"Sorry Momo, can you go back alone? I would like to watch it till the end. When you run a little you might catch up with Ziggy. I'm sure he isn't moving to fast, he got sand stuck everywhere in his pin-joints. He really sounded like a rusty kettle."

For a moment the smile, that Momo knew so well from her friend, appeared on his face.

"Are you really o.k., Jr.? You behave different than usual lately."

"I'm good, really. You don't need to worry." Uncomfortable he tried to get away from that topic. "It really was a nice day, let's come back here again!"

He turned his face to look at the little girl, who suddenly hugged him.

"Please, Jr. …!"

It seemed like she wanted to say something more, but all she did was tighten her hug a bit before releasing the boyish-looking man.

"Goodnight Jr. don't stay here for to long!"

She whirled around and dashed away without looking back, leaving a confused Junior behind her.

…

The the beach was painted in the most beautiful colors by the sun, but the red-haired variant had lost all interest in it. He looked around him. After he was sure, that he really was alone, he took of his long-sleeved shirt. All day long he had successfully managed to avoid any activity connected to swimming or getting close to the water.

The price had been that his cloth was soaked wet. Every time anyone went into the cold and refreshing sea, he had jealously watched them, while the sweat had run slowly down his body. When he finally got the shirt off, he sighed.

"Man, I thought I would burn to death!"

He carelessly threw it on the floor. His attention now turned to his arm, the reason for his day-long torture.

The blue and purple bruises, covering the bend of his left arm, really stood out. He would have never been able to hide them appropriately without a shirt. Someone would have pointed at him and would have asked dangerous questions.

He hated it that there where signs of his secret obsession on his body, but even now he felt the inevitable urge to escape from his own thoughts. He walked over to the little pile of his possessions.

His guns laid there and his favorite jacket, that he both dearly loved. After picking the jacket up he grabbed inside the interior, opened a hidden pocket and drew a tiny box out of it.

_An entire day!_ The 26-year old man was proud of himself. _No one noticed!_

He had been concentrating very hard to not show any signs of his addiction. No shaking allowed when so many people had their eyes on him.

The injector was already prepared and operational, when his eyes wandered to his bruised arm again. No spot seemed to be unharmed anymore. He thought for a moment and then decided to start using his right arm too. A little sting and the machine pushed the fluid inside his vein.

Tranquility, a feeling that Jr. had gotten so very accustomed to, washed over him and placed a sorrow-free smile on his lips. His thoughts got weaker and sloppy, the pictures inside his mind faded. No threat to him anymore.

It had been the right decision to wait until the others had left. His wobbling motions would have catched their attention immediately.

With everyone gone, Junior now got his chance to enjoy the water too. Happily he walked to the splashing waves, as if they welcomed him, saying: You're here. Finally! What took you so long?

…

Momo ran as fast as she could. Still having his words in her ear, she had decided to put her friends words into action: "When you run a little you might catch up!"

But it wasn't Ziggy that she was running after. She had turned into the direction of the citizen area.

Her small legs carrying her grew tired but she didn't allow herself to rest or to even slow down a little. She felt that it was somehow important to be fast. No time could be wasted, while this dark and ominous feeling inside her chest, warned her of something bad to happen.

There! She could see him walking with two women clinging to his arms.

Momo had been lucky, they had a walked in a slow pace, marveling the buildings and statues along their way, so they hadn't gotten to far by now.

"Gaignun-sama!" The handsome looking man turned around to look who had called his name.

"Momo? What are you doing here?" He asked concerned, because of Momo's strange behavior.

Why would she come running to him in such a hurry looking quite distressed, when she had been with his older brother just a minute ago. Why hadn't he walked her home like usually …something struck him. That specific incident that had bothered him before, what had it been again?

"Where's Junior? Why isn't he with you?"

Momo tried catching her breath and wheezingly answered: "He told me that he was very sorry, but he wanted to watch the sunset till the end. So he must be still at the beach."

She looked quite embarrassed now. "Uhm Gaignun-sama, I wanted to ask you something. I don't want to be rude, please don't be angry, but I think that Jr. behaves strange. Did you maybe notice that too? Did something happen to him?"

"What makes you think that?" Gaignun felt anxiety grow inside him.

"Well, his smiles were weird and his laughter seemed forced. I have the feeling, that he isn't the Jr. right now, that he usually was."

That ultimately pushed the button to all of Gaignun's memory: Usually! That was a word that his older brother had abandoned in the last few months:

Jr. was talking about Albedo.

Unusual.

He had hallucinations.

Unusual.

He looked tired.

Unusual.

He hardly played with his dog, as if the puppy strung a negative cord inside the variant.

Unusual.

He rarely contacted him over the link anymore.

Unusual.

He had not been seen walking drunk, through the streets anymore.

Actually nice, but very unusual.

That all just being coincidental:

ABSOLUTLY UNLIKELY!

What had he said to him again?

"I only protect my precious skin against the bad and dangerous rays, that want to destroy my beauty!"

What an absurd comment.

Jr. should be aware that the artificial created sun's light carried no ultraviolet rays. He had built the Kukai foundation's beach. So there was no chance that he had forgotten that.

That meant that he wasn't wearing the shirt to protect himself from the sun. He did it for a different purpose and because he couldn't think of a legitimate reason to be wearing a black shirt at the beach, he came up with something that could be indeed possible, if one didn't know about the lack of the rays inside the artificial light.

The red-haired variant hadn't been aware that Gaignun, even though he hadn't participated in the building of the beach, had read all reports about the mechanism and the state of affairs.

It was almost as if someone crushed his heart. Momo proved his angst to be real.

Jr. was hiding something and he had to know what!

"Don't wait for me! I will be back soon. Mary take care of Momo!" With these words he ran towards the beach, leaving the three women behind, who looked after the director of the Kukai foundation.

"We better get you home little Missi! Master Gaignun will take care of lil' Master, I'm sure!"

"Mary's right, please don't make that sad face! They are both very strong. There is no need to let your beautiful face show such a distressed expression! They will be alright!"

At last all three hoped so.

…

Coolish, crystal clear water washed around the small boy's frame. He couldn't remember ever feeling so good. The heat had driven him crazy.

He was a few meters away from the point, where he last touched the ground with his feet. Underneath him he could see green algae, tilting from one side to the other caused by the water current, when suddenly something grabbed his ankle and pulled him under the surface.

For it came so sudden, Jr. was incapable to draw in his breath before diving and swallowed a mouthful of water.

He struggled, but something dragged him downwards.

Opening his eyes a little, Jr. could see something white infront of him.

A macabre smile greeted the shocked variant.

With all his remaining strength he pulled himself away from his demented twin and made his way back up to the relieving air. But he was only allowed a small gasp, before he was pushed underwater again.

The strong man squeezed his, so much smaller half, against him and placid watched the red head desperately trying to get free. When it looked as if Jr. would pass out any minute from the lack of air, the albino pressed his mouth on Jr.'s and fed him with the oxygen that the crazy madman didn't need after all.

Unwillingly, but frantically clinging to his live Jr. drew in his brothers breath. His angry laments muffled by the water around them.

The moment the older twin had regained some strength and started kicking and punching again, the white-haired demon stopped the kiss of life and grinningly enjoyed Jr.'s vain endeavors to break free.

Soon the kicking slowed down again and Albedo continued with his sick game to debilitate his fierce dragon.

But instead of forcing himself on Jr. again, he pointed at his lips with the one arm, that wasn't holding the desperate boy trapped.

He would let his precious sibling come to him this time.

Disgust, hate and revulsion glared at him from two big, blue eyes.

It didn't touch him. As if he cared for his brothers senseless fight to withstand him. His dear Rubedo eventually had to give in, when he didn't want to drown after all.

That realization came to the older twin too.

He starred at his grown-up brother with animosity, then closed his eyes firmly and moved his head towards Albedo's.

When their lips met, the younger, yet physically superior twin refused to open them, depriving Jr. of the rescuing air within his lungs. Confused Jr. drew back for a moment. The insane grin told him that the price was higher than just that.

Distraught by now Jr. bend forward again and tried to coax the older-looking man, by licking and sucking at his brothers lips, to share his breath with him.

Pleased with his obedient behavior, Albedo finally opened his mouth to graze Jr.'s. Not only administering air to him orally, but also stroking the now completely reliant variant's tongue gently.

So sweet, so acquiescent, so delicious.

The red-headed boy couldn't take the stress anymore and his vision started to fade.

Feeling the strength of his dragon dissolve, the lunatic man carried him back to the surface, where Jr. painfully sucked in the air, and dragged him behind a pile of stones, that shielded them from anyone's vision, who could walk by accidentally.

The stones where located a little of the beach, on a bank of sand. That way Jr. lay half inside the salty water, when Albedo placed himself on top of his drained brother.

The drug inside his system and his remaining strength stolen by his brother's attack, Jr. had a hard time to stay conscious. His mind cried for some rest and his lungs felt like they wanted to collapse, but the white-dressed man wouldn't allow him to pass out. Carefully he took off his cape and threw it on a stone close by. The shirt followed shortly afterwards.

He leaned down again, now touching skin to skin. An incredible warmth was given up from Albedo's body, unusual for the clinically cold-blooded variant. He placed a hand inside crimson hair and lifted Jr.'s head a little to engulf in a lustful kiss. The smaller man could do nothing but accept this abuse. Albedo's hands wandered over the boy's entire body. Caressing him, teasing him, litting up an emotion that the 26- year old URTV had never felt before: Desire.

Jr. jerked up when Albedo pinched his left nipple with his fingers, while he simultaneously was sucking at his right one gently, causing a moan to escape from the red-haired's mouth.

"Albedo, uhm, please, ahh, sto-stop!" The man had worked his mouth deeper and gently worshiped the boy's inner thighs, after he had quickly slid down his swimming trunks.

"You don't really seem to want it to stop right now." He chuckled viciously when he saw the boy's face blush.

"My beloved ruby, today you will finally be ready to accept the truth that was kept from you for so long!" His hands closed around Jr.'s erection and slowly moved his hand up and down. He captured the lips of the moaning boy, cushioning his sounds of pleasure, while he undid his own pants and rubbed against his beloved other half.

The abused boy's head was spinning and the water around him torched his senses. The wet surrounding was something that Albedo appreciated. For Jr.'s entrance was already under water, there was no need of a lubricant. Cautiously he penetrated his twin with his fingers, spreading and loosening him. The cold water made the tiny body shiver, what caused Albedo to get even more excited. He had to hold himself back, with all his strength, to not penetrate him to early. Or else the carefully woven net around Rubedo might tear apart, before he got what he wanted.

Jr.'s will to fight had ceased into nothingness, when he could finally hold on to one single thought that spread itself inside his mind. He whimpered.

"You, you are not real! You are dead! I, I killed you! You aren't here! You're not, you're not, you're not!" He cried out, but the grin on the maniacs face didn't lessen even once.

"I am not? So then my fiery dragon, my scintillating ruby, how can you explain everything you feel right now?"

Shocked Jr. realized that he could fell the heartbeat inside his right chest again. The grown-up man used Jr.'s distraction and pushed himself down, causing the boy to sharply draw air inside his lungs. For a moment they stayed like this, then the man on top started moving in a constant pace.

Lust, desire, need. Something so natural, yet so forbidden.

Jr. couldn't stop his body from moving in synchronization with his brother's. He had to be real, despite all doubts inside his mind, he just had to! He could have never made all of this up! Albedo was alive, maybe crazy as shit, but alive!

The lunatic increased the speed and kissed him greedily. The sound of splashing water accompanied their rhythm.

Jr. reached his peak and leaned into the touch from his brother's hot skin. His moaning caused his twin to follow shortly afterwards. Breathing heavily they made no attempt to move at all. After regaining his superior position, Albedo got to his knees and towered over the helpless boy.

"Ah, I am able to feel it, now you are prepared for it, my love!" A creepy expression appeared on his face.

He got a knife out of his trousers pockets and lifted it up - "JUNIOR! Where are you! JUNIOR! Please, when you can hear me answer me!"

Gaignun ran over the beach searching frantically for his older brother. Jr.'s stomach turned around when he heard the youngest of the three brothers call his name.

"Goddammit! This stupid idiot! He ruined it!" Hate shone out of the amethyst eyes. "I swear, I'll kill him one day!" The madman grabbed his clothes that he had placed on the stone, looked back at Junior, placed a frenzied simper on his lips and disappeared.

Jr. slowly stretched his hand out and pulled his trunks up, that had been trapped around his ankle. He wished that Gaignun would just leave. He didn't want Gaignun to find him in his current state. He tried to get on his legs but his knees just collapsed under him. With a loud splash he fell back into the water.

"Jr.?" Gaignun ran inside the shallow water towards the noise, ignoring his suit trousers to get soiled in the action. He walked around the boulders.

…

The sight in front of him caused him to step back at first. His small brother sat on his hands and knees trembling. Abrasions all over his body, blood running down his leg, mixing with the clear water he was sitting in.

"Heaven no! What happened? Jr., please talk to me!" He stepped closer to the shaken-up variant. When he knelled down to touch him, the redhead flinched.

"I'm fine, I'm perfectly fine, I-I'm…" He stuttered, unable to look at his comrade.

"I just wanted to swim a little and then, then I must have passed out or something and was thrown against the stones. Please, I'm fine, really!"

"Clearly you are NOT fine!" Gaignun cautiously but firmly grabbed a hold on him and carried him to the beach. When he had seated the still shaking boy on a deck chair, Gaignun started to inspect Jr.'s injuries.

He stopped when he got to his left arm. Those were old wounds. He looked up and met Jr.'s eyes, which watched his reaction anxiously.

"What does that mean? What are those…? Do you want to tell me something?" Gaignun started furiously, because he couldn't contain all of his pent-up fear over his beloved brother anymore.

His anger hit the red-haired boy like a slap in the face.

Quickly Jr. turned his head away. He had been caught. He would not get away with it anymore.

Everything seemed to fall apart on him. Now everyone would know. Momo would despise him for being so weak. Gaignun wouldn't want him around anymore. Not after he kept this a secret to his younger brother for so long and lying to him more than once. He would never trust him, never talk to him in his wonderful way again.

Tears made their way down his cheek and he started to sob unrestrained.

"No Jr., please don't cry, I didn't mean it! I'm sorry, I was just sick of fear about you."

Gaignun hugged the little bunch of misery and tried to calm his brother down.

"I'll get you to a hospital, everything will be fine o.k.?"

The sobbing Jr. shook his head: "No hospital, please Gaignun, can't I just go to the Durandal? I promise I will tell you everything. Besides the injuries aren't serious, right? Please, please don't hate me!"

Powerless against the request of the blue eyed boy, Gaignun complied. He unhappily picked Jr. up, securely wrapped him in his arms and carried him to the Durandal.

**Chapter 4 end**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4 done hurray! Answers might be scarce but the story is finally developing a bit. Liked it? Then please review, for I have no clue if you even want it to go on.<strong>

Little explanation: OMC-System = Overarching-mind-control-System, R-Line Experiments = the "R" stands for Resurrection, "Bordel!" = french for something like: "Gosh Darn it!"


	5. Mein Name ist Nidhogg

Got the fifth chapter done...wait and the sixth? No, actually I finished the fifth chapter and found it to long. So I simply divided it. I hope it's better for reading.

Thoughts on this chapter? Was a hell of work!

Now go on and read! Hope you enjoy it!

Some warning: Slight yaoi, blood, language and Yuriev! (I do like that old crazy man!)

**I don't own anything. Neither Xenosaga nor their characters.** (That's why I have to work so much -_- )

* * *

><p><strong>Man Name sit Nidhogg<strong>

**Chapter 5**

_*Deep space, E S Simeon, time unknown*_

What should he do now. The link to his brother was absolutely dead.

No, to be more exactly, it was tightly blocked. Someone stood in between and wouldn't allow him to communicate with his other half. Who would posses such an ability? All he knew was, that it must be a very strong-willed presence. It wasn't easy to disrupt the connection that the two URTV's shared by nature.

After he hadn't been able to spy on the redhead, he had, with disgust, decided to contact the black-haired variant. He would at least tell him what Rubedo was up to.

"_Hey Nigredo, long time no see. Hope I didn't surprise you, little baby!"_

A ripple came over the link, as if something crept closer, analyzed him, gauged him:

"_Well, well, if that isn't my unwanted process waste. Didn't expect you to be alive, but I guess you're non biodegradable after all."_

Albedo's body tensed at the deep, lurking voice.

"_Father? Hahaha, that really fits, doesn't it? The white sovereign that almost ruled the universe and the ancient disease, that claims himself to be immortal too. Don't we make a fine pair? Supposed to be dead, we still linger in this world, trying to haunt our remaining blood relatives but achieving nothing but futility!"_

"_Talk for yourself! I already gained more than that. You should be aware that not Nigredo answered your call but me. So I guess I am much closer to my goals than you will ever be! Your target still runs around with his stupid guns, shooting at innocent trees and walls. By the way, number 666 doesn't look to good lately. I wonder if you aren't the reason for that circumstance. You always got your brotherly love across quite the wrong way. I didn't think you would turn out to be such a pathological fabrication defect." _

"_Oh, how very polite, now I know where I got my good manners from! Yes, yes tel pere tel fils, isn't that too true for us? You're little better than me, my "dear" father. True my glorious plan to escape from this suffocating existence was destroyed by someone. But I've got time, ahahahaha think about it, I am the master of the hourglass, I'll refill it just by snipping my finger. Can you do that mon vieux createur?" _

Albedo leaned back in his E.S.. He wanted to get this conversation done as soon as possible. He never had any positive feelings towards Dimitri. He had always disliked the way, how Yuriev had watched his Rubedo all the time.

Not to mention the scientists obsessive interest for Nigredo. Now he knew why Dimitri had treated Nigredo with such caution. He sacrificed the black-haired URTV to be his vessel in order to live on. Maybe by mental transfer?

He concentrated on the link again. There was something he still had to ask:

"_You mentioned Rubedo. What's wrong with him?"_

"_Muhahaha, now, now, that even sounded like a normal question. How queer coming from you. Concerned over my semi-finished work piece? Can't you ask him yourself? Shouldn't take you too long! ...Oh my, is it already that late? I need to attend to an important matter. Helmer that idiot will never figure it out, spying in this body really is to easy. Farewell my disgusting infestation, I hope someone finds a way to get rid of you soon!"_

"_Wait!" _Albedo clenched his fists angrily, but the link was already disconnected. Yuriev had, instead of answering questions, given him even more to think about.

…

_*Fifth Jerusalem, hangar, Durandal, Jr.'s room, present*_

"Now Jr., it's time for your explanation!" Gaignun had seated himself on a chair that faced the bed that Jr. was lying in. The pale URTV looked quite distressed and Gaignun hated it to put him under pressure, but then he remembered the weird spots that tainted Jr.'s skin.

"Please, I want to know the truth. You promised it!" He added gently.

Jr. gulped hard. "Gaignun I'm sorry! I never wanted that, it just happened somehow. I couldn't stand those nightmares anymore and drinking wasn't helping much. I met that women and she finally gave me something that really worked…"

Gaignun interrupted him. "That worked? Do you really think that? Why didn't you try to ask for help? Why didn't you come to me? Or Momo, or someone?"

Gaignun moved his hand through his hair. He felt so terribly weak.

"I didn't want to push my problems on someone else. Gaignun, I'm 26, soon 27 years old. How does that look? A cry-baby that can't even stand on it's own legs. I know my body doesn't look like it but I am a grown-up. Don't you understand how it horrible it is for me to be treated like a child all the time?"

Embarrassed the variant looked down at his blanket and swallowed hard again. He realized that he had completely failed at being an adult too. He maybe hadn't pushed his problems on others, but in the end he had done nothing else but running away from the truth, still causing problems to the ones he loved.

So what should he do, if he couldn't be a child nor a man? Would he always be torn apart, stuck in between the struggle of his mind and body?

"No one says that your situation is an easy one! But that is something that we can talk about later. Please Jr. continue, what happened after you started taking that drug?"

"Well, you see, I, err, I told you some of this already, the things about Albedo."

That topic was a dangerous one for Junior. Immediately pictures flashed in front of his eyes. The white one over him, holding him, touching him, kissing his mouth, the incredible heat that had lit his heart…his face turned red.

"Everything alright? You don't get a fever, don't you?" Gaignun placed his hand on Jr.'s forehead.

The touch send shivers down his body. Gaignun's hand was just as Albedo's, his voice as deep, their faces so much alike.

Jr.'s hand started shaking, the need to fill his veins with the calming fluid was increasing. It would get hazardous if Gaignun wouldn't leave soon. He still had a stack of Vimini hidden in his cupboard and a single one (his last reserve), placed inside a necklace that he was carrying around.

Gaignun withdrew his hand, after he made sure that Jr. was o.k. and leaned back in his chair again.

Two green eyes fixed on blue ones.

"Am I getting this right, Junior, you are telling me that you encountered Albedo again? I mean more often than the times that you told me of?"

The exhausted boy nodded. The black-haired man thought for a moment and then spoke to him via link to get Jr.'s full attention:

"_I want you to stop taking the drug immediately! I don't think that you have seen Albedo but an illusion that the drug created. That would explain the weird and unrelated encounters you experienced. For I don't know when you will have another oneiric hallucination, I am not allowing you to participate on tomorrows mission, to catch the intruder inside the Encephalon. I won't discuss that decision! Also I never, ever want you to lie to me again! I want you to come talk to __me__, when you have nightmares. Promise me Jr.!"_

The redhead knitted his brows and put up an unhappy face. Not being able to participate on the mission hurt him personally. Everything just because Gaignun thought he could get delirious anytime.

An illusion, nothing else, had been hunting, scaring and mocking him? How could an illusion feel so real, Jr. thought to himself. Could a drug really create something like that? He didn't want to believe what Gaignun said, but instead of bringing that topic up again, he had a more important matter to talk about. Via link he answered his younger brother:

"_Gaignun please, I can't stop so fast, give me some more time. I can stop whenever I want to. Really I can! But right now is no good. The mission will start soon and with it, I can still be a help to the others! I'll start next week o.k.?I'll-"_

"_No Jr. listen to me! If you don't stop now, you will never stop! You will delay it over and over again, thinking you have it under control. I didn't want to do this, but it's for your own good. Tell me! Where are you keeping it?"_

The question lingered in the room.

After waiting a few seconds but not getting an answer, Gaignun stood up and started searching through the room. The redhead watched him tremulous. The shaking of his hands had already gotten out of his control. His body wasn't listening to him any more. Pictures painfully carved themselves in his mind. What should he do without his "medicine". Panic floated over him, screams echoed in his ears:

"Monster! Why are you the leader? You doomed us but we know what you are! Monster! Monster! MONSTER!"

It just burst out of him:

"Make it stop! I don't want it any more, make it stop, Gaignun! Those pictures, their screaming!" He cried, holding his head with both hands, covering his ears against the loud voices that pierced his very soul.

Gaignun was terrified. What had the drug done to his beloved, older brother? He quickly sat down on the bed and embraced Jr. firmly with his arms, whispering soft words to the boy, in order to calm him down.

"It's o.k. No one will harm you! You are safe here. Don't cry. Look, no one blames you for what happened. It wasn't your fault! You tried your best! You saved me back then, remember? You have been a great brother to me. Now rest a little, you will fell better when you wake up!"

A wave of comfort and love washed over the small URTV. Sending his worn out mind immediately to sleep, before he could understand what those feelings from his brother really meant.

The leader of the foundation covered his brother with the blanket. Gaignun didn't want to take his eyes off from Juniors finally peaceful expression. When was the last time that he had seen him relaxed? Slowly he bend down and kissed the sleeping boy's forehead. If he would only be more to his small brother. He wanted to hold him, to caress him, to cherish him, wanted to heal his soul and mind. He would do everything that was needed to create a smile on his lips.

The man closed his eyes and called back the picture of his older brother, how he was supposed to be: strong, wild, daring, not caring what the next day would bring, always with a smug smile on his face, laughing his head of when he managed to destroy another obstacle in his way.

A laughter dripping with sarcasm rang in his mind. Surprised he placed a hand on his temple.

"_Your assigned target really got to you, my dear son. You shouldn't sympathize with your prey. Haven't I taught you that? You should really listen to what I say!"_

"_Get out of my head! I told you before that I won't follow your instructions!"_

"_Is that so? Hmm, how strange that you are saying that. Have you not already done all my bidding? Aren't you giving me your body when I push you just a little? "Not following instructions" would look quite different, don't you think so?"_

"_I swear, I will find a way to fight you and the day I do, I'll kill you!"_

"_Big words, my submissive son. You shouldn't overestimate your power. I see that you still know how to calm down number 666. But I'm not sure if you still posses the power to defeat the red dragon. You have been slacking off from the training that I showed you." _

"_I won't harm him!"_

The answering dark laughter send a shiver down his spine.

"_Mwahahaha, yes, it appears that number 666 is harming himself enough already. Well, he too was a failure to begin with. He and his abominable "tumor" that calls himself human. I can't understand what you like about that small guinea pig. That really is a disgusting side of you, Nigredo. A strong and good looking man, easily surrounded by women, in love with his undersized brother, what a farce! As if loving your brother wouldn't be wrong enough, you even turned out to be a pedophile!"_

"_Shut up! How dare you! You have no right to judge me! You have no right to call Rubedo a failure! You are nothing but a weak and pestilent freak! GO AWAY!" _

A wave of anger flowed through his body and silenced the voice that tormented him.

Gaignun breathed heavily. He straightened himself up and put his thoughts back in order. The assaults of his father seemed to increase. What was he up to?

He couldn't think of anything that would make the slightest sense. Frustrated he continued to scan the room for the drug that the, now sleeping, leader of the URTVs had hidden somewhere.

Hadn't he seen the cupboard's image flash up in Jr.'s mind for a second?

When he had rummaged around in it a little, he found a box with a flower on it. Wasn't that a Myosotis? An ancient flower commonly called: "Forget me not"? What a weird name for a drug that would help the addict to forget.

He tried to get this thought away. He didn't like to think of Jr. as an addict, but seeing him in his current stare was implying exactly that. He continued his search and finally found the box inside Jr.'s coat too. Thinking that he had found all of it, he decided to leave Jr. at peace.

He sadly turned a last time to his sleeping brother, turned off the light and left the room silently.

…

_*Yuriev Institute, socialization area, park, 27 years ago*_

A young boy was sitting on a bench. He watched blond haired children run around and play. His mind was a chaos, Skipping from one thought to the next, unsure what really to look at, letting things fall or simply forgetting what he had thought of before.

A scar on the left side of his head showed where the scientists and doctors had mutilated his brain. Where they had destroyed his very self.

A blond boy came closer to him. Usually the boys kept their distance to the weird variant that never spoke a word, but number 143 had always been slightly braver than the others.

"Are you alright? Do you maybe want to play with us?"

No answer from the brunette boy. Not satisfied with the reaction, number 143 grabbed his arm and formed a mental link to the non responding URTV.

"_Come on, you will like i-"_

Everything happened real fast. The brown-haired variant forcefully sucked all the strength and sanity out of the frightened blonde's mind over the newly formed link.

THERE! The chaos stopped for a moment and thoughts realigned to form back some off his memory. The conscious of number 143 was shaped and forcefully shredded into pieces, to fit as a substitute for everything he had lost, destroying the blond variant in process.

His tormented mind had finally found a way to heal itself. His brothers were his source. They would help him to find out who he was and why he existed.

…

The screaming mixed with the sound of torn flesh. Yellow was his color, he loved it, marveled it's beauty. Even more when it was stained with the ruby fluid. Yes, the boys had been made for him. Their high-pitched screams were music in his ears.

The green leaves were covered in blood and with every new victim a piece of his mind got back in order:

His name was Nidhogg.

He was much older than the tiny boys, whose necks he broke.

He had been kept in a laboratory almost his entire life. Because of that, his aging had been altered.

White cloaked persons had hurt him.

A strange man had watched him through the glass of his prison.

He hated that man from the bottom of his heart.

But what he hated even more, was the existence that was woven around him, woven around the universe, that made every cell of his body cry out of pain.

He knew the name of his anti-existence:

U

D

O

…

_*Fifth Jerusalem, hangar, inside the Elsa, present*_

A group of seven people had gathered around the diving device, ready to start with their investigation. Everyone had prepared themselves with their newest weapons and armory (strangely they were wearing all kinds of jewelery too. Chaos stated, that it would increase their status and no one dared to doubt him).

One person still hadn't shown up. Momo turned her head around for her friend.

"Where's Junior? Weren't we supposed to meet here half an hour ago?"

Allen checked the time. That really was uncommon. Jr. would normally be the first to arrive when he had the chance to blow something up, without getting scolded for it. This mission would be perfect. Inside the Encephalon he could do all kinds of things without doing actual damage to his surrounding. Only the intruder would have to watch out, that no bullet got stuck in his head by accident (at least Jr. would claim that it was one).

The door slid open and everyone turned their eyes to the entrance.

"Gaignun Kukai? What does that mean?" Jin looked behind the man, half expectant to see a flash of red hair jump into the room.

"I apologize Jin Uzuki, but Junior isn't with me."

The pink-haired girl ran towards him. She hadn't been able to sleep at first, after Mary had brought her back to her quarter. Concern all over her face, she tried to read Gaignun's expression.

"What happened, is Jr. alright? Gaignun-sama, please! What happened after you went back to the beach?"

Mustering one of his most perfect smiles he turned to Momo. His heart full of guilt that he had to lie to her, but not showing any of it in his behavior.

"He's fine. After we were gone, he wanted to swim a little. He forgot the time and catched a cold. Nothing serious but he will need to rest for a day or two. That's why he won't be attending on your mission. I'm sure that you will still succeed. Every one of you is very strong and experienced in fighting and you got Kosmos with you too."

The group of fighters looked at him in amazement. Jr. being sick? Had that ever happened? Additionally, going on a mission without the loud and fiery boy, who had made decisions so often? Uncertain they looked at each other.

A beeping sound came from one of the consoles.

"Shion, the system is ready for usage. All values are at maximum. The connection is stable at 102.1 Etha per second. We have a constant amplitude recording. Please, all of you, get into position! The diving process will start at 10:32."

"O.k. Kosmos. Let's do it!"

Shion got into the machine and activated some switches. The others grabbed the, like sunglasses looking, devices and got into position.

Only Momo turned back a last time, smiled at Gaignun and said: "Please tell him that he has to get well soon!"

…

_*****__Fifth Jerusalem, hangar, Durandal, Jr.'s room, present at the same time*_

Jr. turned in his bed. Throwing the sheets from one side to the other. Kicking and punching in his sleep, fighting demons that wouldn't allow him to rest, while a faint voice whispered poisonous words in his ears.

"_Get up, rise from your dreams! They need you! Or will you abandon them too? What if they die? That will be your fault! Then add them to your list of lost loves and friends!"_

With a strangled cry Jr. sat up on his bed. Confused he tried to figure out where he was, when he recognized the interior of the room. What was he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to search for the thief that had stolen secret information? Slowly the events came back to his mind. Right, Gaignun had forbidden him to join Shion and the others. But what if something bad happens? He would always blame himself for not being there to help them. He had to join them, even though Gaignun was against it.

Jr. got out of his bed and thought for a while.

He could perform a dive from the Durandal, when he linked the two space ships over the internal network. That way he could get inside the same domain as the others and use the same unidentified region code from the Elsa. He knew all needed passwords for that. After all, he was the commander of the Durandal and practically the owner of the Elsa.

He grabbed his stuff and headed to the diving chamber that was located near the park area.

…

"That should be it!" Jr. finished the last security check-up and changed some settings of the machine to fit his seize. He laid down and closed his eyes. He didn't see the red warning lamp, that was in charge of indicating any occurrence of contamination, starting to blink.

…

_*Inside the Encephalon, location unknown, time unknown, Elsa's dive*_

"Whoa isn't that a nice park?"

"Momo don't run away, we don't know where we are and who the creator of this domain is."

"But Ziggy, the flowers are so lovely!"

The tiny realian went to inspect some cherry-red flowers ahead of her. When she got closer, she jumped back in shock and covered her mouth to suppress a scream that she involuntarily gave off.

The flowers had been white before. Blood dripped down from the petals like heavy tears. A small deformed body was lying inside the flowerbed. Ziggy ran to Momo and covered her eyes from the horrible sight. Chaos was the first to speak again.

"We have been here before, though I think at a different time. This is the park of the Yuriev institute!"

…

_*Inside the Encephalon, location unknown, time unknown, Durandal's dive*_

Birds could be heard twittering everywhere inside the trees. Obviously it was summer inside this domain. Flowers covered the way and bugs flew around. The sweet smell of blooming and growing lingered in the air and the sun was warming the earth. Jr. turned his head into every direction.

"Man, where are they? I'm sure I tipped-in the correct coordinates! "

The redhead started to wonder if he had made a mistake by coming here, when he heard a song carried to him by the wind. That voice! Surprised he slowly walked towards the source of the song and using a bush to hide himself, observed the scene in front of him.

A girl was sitting in the middle of a clearance, softly using her voice to sing a beautiful song, while three boys sat around her, listening mindful. Two of the boys sat close together, the one resting his head on the thigh of the other. All three captured by the neatly dressed brunette.

Jr. felt his legs going numb. How could he be in Sakura's domain?

The intruder, that Helmer had spoken of, couldn't possibly be connected to the domain of Mizrahi's little daughter! The only ones that could create a connection to that domain were Momo (for she had some memories from Sakura), Gaignun, he himself and...Albedo!

Jr.'s eyes widened when the scene in front of him altered. First it seemed like he would be starring in a whirl of colors, then the things got back in place.

The domain had changed itself. He was now on the platoon, where he had been trying to get to the beach with Sakura. But failed to do so, when a URTV, transformed by U-DO's waves, had attacked them.

Everything seemed calm around him, nothing to worry about. A domain shift wasn't something new. He had experienced it before.

Jr. got closer and peeked over the edge of the platoon. Sakura really had given her fear some shape. All paths were blocked towards the beach preventing U-DO, that was located there, to spread.

Suddenly the redhead heard footsteps behind him.

"Do you like it? Isn't everything just as you remember? You loved the time back then, right? All three of us together and Sakura still alive and well. She did have a nice voice. Good enough to scheme any young man. No wonder you fell for her sweet talk so willingly."

"You!" Jr. felt for his guns, but only grabbed the empty nano-injector, that he had used at the beach and which Gaignun hadn't confiscated.

Sadly that wouldn't work as a weapon.

"Oh my angry dragon forgot to arm himself. Ruby, ruby twinkle as hard as you might but your beauty will only attract murderers instead of gentle maiden."

"What is this place? Where are the others? What did you do?"

"I? I didn't do a thing! Maybe you did something. Yes, now that I think about it, it does make more sense to focus on you instead of me!"

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't that quite clear? What, I see confusion in your eyes? Then let me explain yourself to you, the reason for your confusion: It's your very own conscious that is harming you. It is crying out in pain, desperately fighting to be acknowledged. It is asking you some very important questions:

Have you ever taken responsibility for the things you did? Have you ever thought about the consequences of your actions? Of your existence? Have you ever thought about what it meant for the standard URTV's, that we have been special? What it meant to me, to always be the second behind you? A mere nobody, not even worth to be looked at?"

The white-haired man stepped closer and because Junior was having the edge in his back, about 30 meter or more, he couldn't retreat.

"You have been running away long enough and your own mind unconsciously seeks forgiveness. Rejoice my sparkling gem, I can give you exactly that. The only thing you have to do is to open your heart for me. At the beach we were almost there, if it hadn't been for number 669!"

_Number 669?_

He seized Jr. by the arm and whirled him around, so that the maniac was behind the redhead. He ripped Junior's coat and shirt away with his razor-sharp claws, inflicting slightly bleeding lines on the boys skin. He then bend down and traced the lines of the redhead's shoulders roughly with his lips.

"No, Albedo I don't want that!"

The albino didn't react and still held him so tight, that Jr. wasn't able to turn around or to run away. Lovingly, almost greedily the lunatic bit the boys neck while one hand loosened and slid down the trembling body of his brother.

Jr felt his knees give in but Albedo held him in a standing position.

"Already accustomed to my touch? What a good boy!" Slowly the man operated his tongue from the shoulders up to the side of the neck, causing Jr. to get goosebumps all over his skin. He felt so weird and the heat, that was given up from all the places that Albedo touched, made his mind go blank.

Unable to fight or to protest, he did the next best thing that came in his mind: surrender. He leaned in the touch. Why did it feel so incredibly good? How could he accept that his brother was doing such things to him? Why wasn't he disgusted by the touch of the lunatic?

On the other hand: why should he fight and struggle, if it probably was a hallucination after all? Maybe he had never gotten out of his bed and was still dreaming.

"Hmm so very nice. Kirschwassers couldn't be any better, you are beating them all, my magnificent ruby! Not even Momo that stupid doll! She hadn't been half as good, when I stole the Y-Data from her."

_Momo?_

That ultimately set off the alarm inside Jr.'s mind. Something was very wrong.

But the man kissing and touching him was Albedo, or not?

He had appeared in a forest, even though he was supposed to be dead.

He hadn't answered over the link, when Junior had tried to contact him.

He had gotten far more affectionate than ever before.

But then again: his behavior, his looks, his voice and even his smell, everything was just as Junior remembered it...

Still something really fired up his lurking doubts:

The way he spoke.

It was very close to the crazy talk, that Jr. was used to hear from his demented twin, but he would hardly call Gaignun number 669 or Momo by her name. Now that he thought about it, the maniac hadn't even once used his favorite way of talking, after he had met his brother in the park.

Jr. had to made sure.

Without turning around at the white demon, Junior prepared his next words very carefully, he took in a deep breath:

"Est-ce que tu parles francais?

**End chapter 5**

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><p>Liked it? Review it! Didn't like it? Then tell me why! Interested in how it will continue? Then go on and read chapter 6! Hope to see you there!<p>

**Little translation: Mein Name ist Nidhogg = My name is Nidhogg **(not to hard right? *g*)

**Est-ce que tu parles francais? = Are you speaking french?**


	6. Schatten sei mein Bruder

Finally it's here: the answer! Took me to long? Well I like developing step by step. Confusing jumps from one time to the other? Well, maybe I want to see if you are paying attention...no, to say the truth it just turned out this way. Sorry!

I'm always happy when I receive reviews, so if you got a bit of time, please tell me what you think about my story.

**Warning: Blood, violence, slight yaoi and not enough Gaignun in this one!**

"Why did you forget about me?" - Gaignun

"I didn't, I just couldn't find a place where you would fit in. Don't be sad there are still more chapters to come. At least, as long as someone wants to know how the story ends!" - Freyr

**Don't own Xenosaga. All belongs to Monolith!**

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><p><strong>Schatten sei mein Bruder<strong>

**Chapter 6**

_*Inside the Encephalon, Yuriev institute, park, time unknown, Elsa's dive*_

The hell was going on inside the institute. Security guards were running around and Shion's group had a hard time to not being spotted. They walked around to the maintenance entrance and hacked the locks. Forcing their way into the facility in order to search for the core of this domain.

Would they have stayed a minute longer inside the park, they would have maybe been able to witness Dimitri Yuriev walking inside the main door.

"Sir, we have the recordings from the security camera! He went into the direction of the dorm."

"Evacuate the URTV's I won't have him kill anymore of my creations. But don't touch him, he is MINE!"

…

_*Yuriev institute, underground research laboratory, hatching sector, 27 years ago, shortly before the park incident*_

"Aren't the results just wonderful? He isn't even remembering who he is. Harharhar!"

Dr. Yuriev read the values again. He was pleased with himself. The surgery had been a masterpiece. Accuracy at it's fullest. And any minute his assistant would come back to give him a report of the newly created cell nucleus. That new variant would maybe be strong enough to overcome even Nidhogg.

He started humming to himself. Playing god wasn't to hard after all, he smiled to himself.

"Dr. Yuriev, please, Sir, you must come immediately! The nucleus is growing to fast, we don't know what caused it! We can't stop it."

The doctor followed his assistant to the pillar of his newly formed life. After looking at the data his face turned red and his eyes emitted pure anger.

"No, god damned, this can't be true! Why? I evaluated every outcome, so why? This destroys him! Number 666 will never be as he was intended! I can't stop that process anymore. I HATE IT, WHY, WHY TWINS?

…

_*Encephalon, Yuriev institute dorm area, time unknown, Elsa's dive*_

Chaos just blew a container away, to get to an air tunnel, when he heard screaming. It really was, as if they had been teleported straight into a nightmare. Momo was scared and held tightly on Ziggy's hand. This place was really different from the other time they had visited this place.

Then again, Junior had been with them before. Maybe that was why everything seemed out of place now. They continued their way by crawling through the air system, not aware what was going on beneath them.

...

"Hyahyahyahya Coooooome to me, cooome to me little baaaby! Cooome out wherever you are! Join your brothers, don't be afraid. It won't hurt to badly, I promise!"

A blond URTV sat under his bed, trying not to make a sound and blocking the connection to the link. He hadn't known where to go when the crazy variant had attacked them. He had just stayed right where he was. Surprisingly it had kept him alive till now. The ones that had tried to escape, had been the first to die.

He could hear the sullen voice, that from the sound of it, had hardly been used before. The variant wasn't able to pronounce the words quite right. Making it sound more threatening, like an angry animal.

The mocking screaming suddenly stopped, but the blond URTV could still feel the berserk monster creep closer.

"I know you are here!" growled the aggressor, that had given them no warning at all when he had suddenly appeared inside the entrance of the dorm. Pure madness that hadn't allowed them to run away.

The fiend's steps were accompanied with a sludgy sound. Blood and ripped apart URTV's covered the floor.

The hiding boy couldn't contain a whimper when he suddenly recognized one of his brothers.

Laying on the floor with emotionless eyes, a big wound right across his face, was number 389. He had been his room mate. They had enjoyed each others company. Now he would never go on a mission with him again.

Though URTVS were like a big swarm of beings with a connected conscious, each number still had possessed a small individual character. He missed the humming sound of his brothers minds. Right now everyone had abandoned the link.

He sniveled, immediately freezing for it had been louder than intended.

The mad variant stopped right before the bed, that his prey was using for hiding.

"Heelloooo there!" He had bend down and looked right into the face of the scared URTV.

"What number do you have?" A crazed expression played around the variants mouth.

After the slaughtering, he was in the mood for something else. Maybe he should enjoy the scared URTV's physical presence for a while before killing him as well.

He tried to grab the blonde, but was interrupted by a loud noise. That sounded like gun shot. He got up again and looked into the direction of the sound.

"Seems the beast runs wild. Your not being a good son, Nidhogg!"

"Fatherrr!" he spit out the word, turning it to nothing more but a snarl. Hate shone out of the hazelnut-brown eyes.

"When you don't start following my orders, I will reconsider being your father. Bad behavior has to be punished, I thought you would have understood that by now. I didn't want to use force, but you gave me no choice."

A dripping sound caused the already bruised and wounded variant to look down on him. He was bleeding from a a big wound in his side.

So it had been a gun shoot before.

"Now let your brothers alone and follow me to the laboratory! I'll take care of your injuries there."

Yuriev stepped closer, but Nidhogg bared his teeth.

"NO! No more wires! No more drugs! You hurt me! I hate you! U-DO is inside of you. You must be destroyed. DIE, DIE FOR ME!"

With that Nidhogg ran towards Dimitri, who with a great presence of mind, shoot again. This time in the leg of the painfully crying boy.

Still the variant continued his attack. He formed a wave and threw it at his creator. Dimitri was caught by it and was knocked on his back. Nidhogg was on him in no time, closed his hands around the scientist's throat and started to choke him. His strength was incredible for such a small framed boy, but then again, Nidhogg wasn't a small boy.

Dimitri was getting short with air, slowly lifted up the gun, that he had held onto the entire time, placed it on the heart of the boy but stopped there.

Nidhogg was to valuable to him, there was no replacement after number 666 turned out to be a failure. He had to think of a way to knock him out and he had to think of something fast for his vision started to get blurry...

*BANG*

For a second the brunette boy didn't move an inch. Then as if in slow motion, the body sunk down on the man's chest lifelessly. Yuriev coughed and pushed the body off of him.

"What?" surprised Yuriev starred at the motionless body.

His assistant came running at him.

"Oh my god, Dr. Yuriev are you hurt, sir? Is Nidhogg dead? I saw you being attacked by him and fired. I didn't want to kill him. I just wanted to wound him. What do we do now? He was our biggest hope! How do we destroy U-DO now? Can we still continue with the Plan to call forth the god? Sir I really..."

Without pausing the assistant would have continued with his sputtering, if Dimitri wouldn't have lifted his gun, pointed it at his assistant and shoot.

Still with a shocked expression on his face, the assistant fell to the ground.

"I never said you were supposed to kill him. You just destroyed my most promising weapon against U-DO."

He kicked the bleeding body of his assistant to make sure if he was dead.

By contact, the suffering man turned painfully away from his boots.

_Still clinging to live, how amusing._

"By the way, haven't I told you to never talk about my goals again? You said you understood me. Apparently not, or am I mistaken? Too bad, I was never able to remember your name."

He placed the gun directly in the front of the scared man's face and pulled the trigger again.

Silence settled over the battlefield. Only a single crying boy disturbed the tranquil web of death. A man dressed in bloodstained, white clothes stood in the ocean of red and black. Starring at the corpse of an abused brown-haired child.

"It's not over yet! Nidhogg, you won't get away so easily. I still have an idea. It has been your words, right, my stupid follower? Plan B, will be carried out!"

…

_*Inside the Encephalon, Sakura's domain, around 14 years ago, Durandal's dive*_

After Albedo had stood there for a second without moving at all, he started chuckling which turned gradually into a fierce and crazy laughter.

"Hahahahahaha you got me my ruby! After all, you got me! To think that I was unmasked by this stupid language, that no one can speak anymore, but that idiotic number 667. Ancient is still an understatement. Who cares for that stuff from Lost Jerusalem anyway? Took you still quite a while to notice it. I really thought you would never find out. But I'm afraid that even so you finally did, it's already to late, my dear. You won't escape this time!"

Jr. wanted to get away desperately, but the man held him back with brute force.

"When you're not Albedo, who the heck are you? What do you want from me?"

Instead of an answer the green and warm summer scene started to wither away. The plants died and the temperature fell. The sun died down. No birds could be heard anymore. Juniors breath started to condense and the first snowflakes started falling. An harsh and cold wind blew around them. Within the blink of an eye, the domain had changed from summer to winter.

"Ah I'm sure you know this time and place, my fooled beauty. You want to know who I am? Well, then let's just watch your memories! The past is such a marvelous thing. Long gone but sometimes it bears the key to understanding."

The white demon lifted Jr. with just one arm around his neck, so his feet weren't touching the floor anymore.

The redhead remembered that position and he didn't like it. He wanted to call forth his red dragon power, but strangely his body didn't react at all against the fiend, that held him effortlessly above the ground.

Juniors struggle died down when he saw four children coming his way.

Of course he knew them all. He had watched them on the clearing just a moment ago.

"Not so fast Rubedo! Wait for me!"

"Stop whining Albedo! You don't train enough, that's why your stamina is so weak. Even Sakura is faster than you!"

"You're mean! I'm as fast as you are. I just don't want to run in this horrible ice-cold surrounding. What if I slip?"

"It's not that you would be hurt anyways!" The boy stopped, realizing what he had just said and turned around with a sad expression on his face.

"Sorry Albedo I didn't mean it."

The white-haired boy didn't answer but demonstratively held a distance to his twin. Nigredo silently watched the two but didn't interfere. He knew they would come to terms eventually.

Rubedo decided to apologize to him again later and turned his attention to the shivering girl that stood behind them.

"Sakura! There's nothing here today if we run we will be at the beach in no time!"

The girl shook her head.

"Why not, let's go! First we'll cure your illness then we'll go to a real beach."

The girl frightened pointed her finger at a place behind the URTV-leader.

"Rubedo look!"

A black shadow crawled over the white and untouched snow. It almost seemed as if the shadow stretched and moved on it's own. Tilting and billowing, a being that was dangerous and evil.

"No this, this isn't my shadow!" Both Juniors formed the words simultaneously.

Jr. was hit by the sight, he began to understand:

"That was you! You are my shadow? That's impossible! You are a part of me? But I'm, I'm..."

"I'm not a monster!"

…

_*Yuriev institute, underground research laboratory, hatching sector, 27 years ago, a few hours after the dorm accident*_

All machines were activated and the laboratory was full of realians that prepared the operation. Dimitri Yuriev had changed his clothes to a green doctor's overall. He needed to rescue as much as he could.

"How is number 666's status?"

"Sir, we evaluated the development of the cell culture and found out that both children will be boys. They will also be Siamese twins and monozigotic. Except for an defect of the ones skin pigments and a slightly weaker stamina, they should both be perfectly fine."

"Then we will try to get the bigger portion into the healthier one. Of course we won't be able to separate the induction completely at this time. We can't cut them away from each other. They're not ready for that yet. It's very likely to worsen the outcome, but I don't have more time. The first cells of Nidhogg's brain are already dying. We will start to extract his DNA-Formula and combine it with number 666's stronger side. After that, create the artificial link to seal his mind into the growing fetus!"

Yuriev placed a scalpel on the skin of the dead variant and started his gruesome work.

…

_*Inside the Encephalon, Sakura's domain, around 14 years ago, Durandal's dive*_

"I'm not a monster!"

"Amusing that you and your younger self claim that! You should know better number 666! Muhahahaha" He sniffed at Jr.'s hair. Drinking in his smell, enjoying his hopeless fight against the strong grip.

"What must I see? Without your guns and your fiery power you really seem like a normal boy. Fragile, pathetic and vulnerable. A tiny powerless shrimp. You are no fun without putting up a real fight, senseless to spend more time standing here like this. You heart is maybe not weak enough right now to let me in, but fortunately you brought everything I need with you."

He grabbed inside Jr.'s pockets and drew the injector out of it. Placing it carefully between his teeth, he reached for the necklace that was still around the neck of the unwillingly kicking redhead. With a swift movement he got the little ampule out of the pendant and inserted it into the injector.

Slowly he placed the, from the wind now freezing cold, metal tip against Jr.'s neck. The boy-framed man could feel how the needle went through his skin inside his flesh. Pushing the ice-like poison inside his system.

Jr.'s head felt heavier and he could almost watch how the cold crept inside his body. This time the drug didn't grant him oblivion, but would more likely lead to his death if he was being, half-naked as he was, in the wind for much longer.

His limbs wouldn't move no more, when the grinning man threw the injector away and begun to caress the trapped boy's body again. Jr. twitched when the claws scratched over his abdomen.

"Ready number 666? Or do you want me to say "Rubedo"? Ahaha Did I ever tell you how much I like your body? It reminds me of all the wonderful URTV's that once existed. Their fair hair was so lovely. Their simple minds so full of corners were I could hide. Yours was nice as well, but I got sick of watching you. You never tried to fulfill your mission. The same that I had, actually. Now I will carry out, what you would never be able to do. Now take in a deep breath, Rubedo!"

The imposter's hand returned to Jr.' back and rested on the left side of the boy's shoulder blades. With a strong motion the monster trust his hand trough Jr.'s ribcage, destroyed his heart and made its way through the front.

...

The last thing Junior remembered, was the all consuming pain, that ate away his last defense. His mind and soul crying out for help, that would not come.

Darkness overcame him...

At the same time Albedo awoke with a scream. Sweating and heavily breathing he had his right hand on his left side. Tears running down his cheek, knowing that half of him had just died.

...

The fake Albedo's image changed. It grew and bend, only using the human frame as an orientation to not dissolve into nothingness. White hair turned black and amethyst eyes shone white and endless out of the black shadow. Like two pits of pain and fear.

The shadow bedded the bleeding URTV inside the snow, causing crimson drops to stain the pure white.

He couldn't believe it, he had reached his goal.

His host had surrendered and now he was the new master of the body.

Now he could start his plan to clean the universe from U-DO. All he needed was the blonde-haired URTV's.

To get those, he would need Dimitri Yuriev's research data to reproduce them.

When he had learned about his fathers death, he had been angry, but when he had found out later, that Yuriev had survived by clinging to number 669's body, he had formed a new plan.

He was still surprised that number 666 hadn't felt the scientist's aura inside Nigredo. Maybe the struggle with his own demon had drained Rubedo too much to fell anything besides his own pain.

Whatever the reason had been, now he had to put his plan into action. He moved over Jr.'s body, rested there and concentrated himself for a second.

Then he dipped his substance carefully inside the opened chest, filling the wound and becoming one with the flesh and muscles of his brother.

…

_*Fifth Jerusalem, Durandal, present*_

"Initializing emergency dive shutdown." Came the computer generated voice over the speakers. The entire system had shut down the power. The little red alarm light, working it's hardest before, had been blown.

The boy sat up inside the device and rubbed the left side of his chest.

Then he got up and walked over to the automatically opening door straight into the hallway. There he paused for a moment and looked back to the diving machine. When the door closed behind him his eyes fell on his right hand.

The tattoo greeted him like an old friend. Promising him a world, that would be reborn from the ashes.

Starting anew from nothingness:

0 0 0

**End chapter 6**

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><p>How was it? Surprising? Obvious? :) Hope to have given you some entertainment! Chapter 7 in work process.<p>

**Little translation: Schatten sei mein Bruder = Shadow be my brother**


	7. Liebe ist meine Maske

Next chapter released. Took me a bit longer but I had a full schedule. I had most of the seventh chapter written down on paper since a while, but never got time to type it on my computer.

Finally did it. I try to get the next one done (also mostly done on my papers).

**Usual warnings:** Yaoi ahead which means boys x boys (still mild *g* I tried out different scenarios but they didn't feel right, only this one seemed to be o.k.). Couldn't harm Gaignun to much, I love him.

**Xenosaga is a protected brand from Namco/Bandai.** I do not own anything of their great work, characters or insane lunatics.

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><p><strong>Liebe ist meine Maske<strong>

**Chapter 7**

"Hey get over here Albedo! Look at those awesome flowers! We don't have anything similar inside our park!"

The forest really was something new to the young boys. It was the first time that Rubedo and Albedo had the chance to look around in Sakura's domain while she was sleeping tightly, overseen from Nigredo. It had been his shift today.

"That's just plants Rubedo. I don't understand what makes you so thrilled about green rubbish!"

Albedo watched his energetic twin as he jumped from one bush to the next. His brows slightly drawn together, showing his displeasure. He really couldn't stand it that Rubedo took such an interest in something like that. It wasn't so much about the plants themselves, it was more about the color that the leader of the URTVs marveled.

Green should never be more appreciated than violet or white, Albedo thought to himself. Good thing Nigredo wasn't here. He would have probably joined the red head in his crackbrained study of the fauna.

"Please Rubedo, I'm bored let's do something else!"

"Your such a joy kill! Just because you don't like it doesn't mean that I don't like it!"

The red head turned to his whining brother and placed his arms akimbo. The white head didn't want to go down without a fight. His eyes got watery and he pressed his lips together, all his bad feelings thrown at his slightly older twin.

"Albedo seriously, stop giving me that look. That's not working on me anymore! Go find something that you find interesting and stop bugging me."

"I don't wanna go anywhere alone." Shocked amethyst eyes starred at the unmoved variant. How could he even make such a suggestion?

"Just do something instead of starring daggers in my back. You know that I can feel that!"

Sometimes the red head hated his strong bond with his brother. When Albedo wasn't happy, he made very sure that Rubedo knew about it. ON PURPOSE! Rubedo always claimed.

"No I won't stop and I won't go away." Stubbornness filled his voice. "Plant watching is stupid and boring."

"Alright; what better plan do you have to offer?" Surprised that Rubedo would give in so fast, the younger brother was caught of guard.

"Uhm, we, well, we could maybe, ahem...we could go back to the house and..."

"Ha!" Victory shone out of the ocean blue eyes. "I knew it, you don't know of something better! Listen, I am not going back to the house. I mean, we just got out of there! Why would we want to return there so fast?"

"But it's, it's safe there." Came the weak reply.

"You really are a bunny heart. I'll show you, there is nothing here to be afraid of! Come on!" The red head started to dash through the trees, leaving an even more unhappy Albedo behind.

Bunny heart? Was he really seen as an skittish frightened animal by his brother? Wait! Bunny could also mean cute, soft and gentle...Did that have a meaning?

A blushing Albedo finally focused on his surroundings again. "Rubedo?"

The red head had vanished inside the green leaves of a bush.

"RUBEDO, wait for me!"

Hurriedly he went after his daring twin. Being left alone was something he hated even more than being occupied with plants.

Branches and leaves got stuck in the white hair and more than once the boy tripped over roots or plants and fell to the ground. Which inflicted bleeding scratches to his skin, that healed within a second, but left his clothes torn. Again and again he struggled back on his feet, just in time to see a flash of red locks run through the trees before him.

Finally it seemed like the trees opened up a little and the increasing light indicated the end of the forest.

Albedo stepped out and gasped when he saw the sight in front of him.

It was as if someone had forgotten to think of something that would come after the forest. He just starred into white. No floor, no sky, no end could be seen. A few meters behind the end of the forest the world stopped to exist. He had reached the end of Sakura's domain.

Was that even possible, Albedo asked himself, when he noticed something red on the white ground, which he didn't dare to step on. Was that blood?

Indeed red droplets formed a path away from the green world straight into the white nothingness ahead. Just now, he noticed that his brother was nowhere to be seen anymore.

"Ru-Rubedo, where are you? Please, that's not funny. Are you hurt?" The young variant called out to his brother. No reply reached his ears. Wouldn't he have heard it when Rubedo had made his way back into the forest? Running through bushes wasn't the quietest thing, really. So the hot tempered variant maybe continued his way right over the edge of Sakura's domain?

Suddenly the white headed boy felt his chest tighten. Something bad was going on. Again his eyes went back to the spilled blood. What if that was Rubedo's blood? He had to find out if his beloved twin was wounded. Maybe he was in pain right now and needed Albedo's help.

That thought made him come to a decision. Slowly he lifted his leg from the green and soft grass and placed it carefully on the white ground. To his surprise it really supported his weight. Letting his other leg follow, he now stood on the luminescent area. He looked back a last time at the secure and colorful forest, then turned his attention to the crimson stains. They would lead his way.

…

Albedo had been walking for an eternity, from his point of view and with every step his anxiety grew. The droplets had started to increase. At one point some off the blood was smeared as if someone had been dragged over the floor. Still the amethyst eyes couldn't see anyone in front of him.

"Rubedo, do you hear me? Rubedo, please!"

He even tried it over the link:

"_Please answer me, I won't bug you anymore, I promise. Just tell me where you are." _

A rasp voice answered from behind the boy.

"You want to see your brother so badly? Even though you won't like what you will see?"

Shocked he turned around. No one was behind him, who could have been speaking to him, instead something was sitting there on the floor.

That hadn't been there before, he was sure about that. How came that he didn't see that earlier? Slowly he approached the weird bundle of cloth. At least it looked like it...

After he had stepped closer, he realized that it wasn't anything mysterious, but his brother sitting on the ground with his legs crossed and his back into Albedo's direction. The white-haired variant's face lit up and a weight was taken from his shoulders now, that he had found his other half.

"Rubedo! I was looking for you! Why did you run away all of a sudden? I told you to wait! You are really mean, you know! Come on let's go back, Nigredo's waiting for us I'm sure!"

He had almost turned around to the direction of the forest, when he remembered what had led his way to his twin. His eyes fell upon the floor while he traced the bloods way - "Say Rubedo, did you see someone hurt? I followed this weird.." - until it reached the sitting boy.

The rest of the sentence got stuck in his throat.

Albedo's legs moved on their own. In an instant he was by the red head and touched his shoulder.

Giving no resistance to the touch, the boy slowly fell backwards. With a thud his body reached the floor, revealing the front side of the variant.

Blood seemed to be everywhere. Cold lips where covered with a lace of crimson fluid, blending in perfectly with the red of his hair.

Once vivid and strong blue crystals now looked dull and gray into another dimension, not seeing his white twin anymore. The clothes were torn and ripped apart over the left side of his chest. A dark hole there, where his heart was missing.

"...NO!" Albedo's eyes widened. "NO, that's not true!"

He let out a cry, when the comprehension and all the despair brutally crashed into his mind.

...

With a scream Albedo awoke, his hand still rested on his chest. Ragged breaths matched the speed of his trembling heart.

He had never felt such a sensation, never had believed that the day would come, when the pain would finally kill him.

No, never had wanted to admit that the day had to come after all. The day, when he would feel the pain of his dying brother.

Now this pain would kill him too, he thought, or more exactly he wished for. Whenever the white demon had been hurt before, his wounds had closed within a second or two. The excruciating torment he was experiencing now, wouldn't fade nor heal. This was entirely new to him.

The Kirschwasser sitting infront of him, turned around quite distressed after hearing the scream.

Seeing her master in his current state confused her. She got out of her seat and climbed up to him. She never showed any emotion on her face, but was shaken to the core.

She stretched out a hand and dried the tears, which unnoticed streamed down the man's cheeks.

He didn't even flinch but continued to stare into the endless depths of space.

The Kirschwasser wanted to call him out of this numbness, but no sound passed her everlasting silent lips. It was like she would watch her master drown in his own mind while being unable to be of any help to him.

She was terrified. In the last few days everything had turned against her white fallen angel.

After her beloved master had come back to life, he had to follow the instructions of the devil himself. His name was Wilhelm and he claimed himself to be rather godly, but she had always looked through his masquerade. Wilhelm had contacted her cherished master and had forbidden him to do anything on his own behalf, threatening him with death if he should ever disobey.

_Awaken from your slumber_

With the same words the devil had called her back too. She had been one of the last Kirschwassers that had survived until her master had fused with U-DO. When she had opened her eyes, Wilhelm had greeted her and had said that she was meant to be a gift for someone. That the someone turned out to be her emperor in his white dress, had made her very happy.

Even more did it hurt when she found out, that he too was bound by the devil's chains, whom he owned his life after all.

She lifted herself up a bit more and rested upon the arm of the chair. Her tiny hand went through his translucent hair. She would die for him, if it would help in the slightest way, but at the moment he was absorbed in his own thoughts. She could tell, when she looked into his deep amethyst eyes.

Suddenly the white haired man snapped out of it.

"What are you doing?" He turned to her and seized the Kirschwasser harshly by her throat. Feverish eyes, hardly able to focus, starred daggers at the blue haired realian.

But even after being surprised from the fast movement, the strangled girl continued to ran her fingers lovingly over his cheek.

It didn't matter if he would kill her. He was back, out of his personal abyss and nothing else mattered.

She closed her eyes and waited for the moment that her small body would collapse, but that didn't happen.

The grip loosened and she was free.

"Tsk why did you sneak up on me? I could have killed you my dear poupee de porcelaine." He added with a slight smirk.

He had found back to his old state quite fast. Still the bad feeling lingered in his mind. What was that just now? He had been sure that Rubedo was dead and now everything felt normal again. An illusion would have never been that strong. The variant had been separated for too long. He had to find out what was going on with his twin, for he wouldn't be able to stand this uncertainty.

"Make Simeon ready for launch. I think we should visit my younger brother. He should know where Rubedo is."

The Kirschwasser didn't move. The white dressed man understood her without a word:

"Don't give me that look! I don't care what the foolish guy with his compass wants. I'm my own master. I don't follow orders from an immortal wuss, who's to afraid to do anything himself. Letting others get their hands dirty for his own laughable reasons. Now get everything ready, Fifth Jerusalem will be our destination."

...

*Fifth Jerusalem, Elsa, present*

Allen watched the screens eagerly. Carefully reading all the values to warn him of anything wrong. He would back Shion and the others up as good as possible. Fighting wasn't his specialty but working with a computer during a dive, was something he really had a thing for. Especially when he could protect a certain person with his good work. He smiled.

All readings showed positive data and he could tell, that it would take probably a while longer for the group to finish their mission. The core was still outside their reach. He really wished that everything would turn out smoothly and that the intruder would get what he (or she) had asked for! His eyes started itching but he fought back the urge to close them. Shion will be proud of me taking this job serious, he thought to himself. Still he couldn't fight back a yawn...

...

*Fifth Jerusalem, at the same time*

A young boy walked through the city of fifth Jerusalem. Without looking around or stopping even once, he made his way straight to the citizens area.

There his target was located. He could feel it over the link. Just a moment ago he had felt a strong impact on the link. Almost as if someone else than Nigredo had tried to contact him... or Rubedo, what was actually quite the same now. But being interrupted was an annoyance to him, so he had shut the link even more for anyone, beside number 669.

It was time to think about the important mission ahead of him. He knew what he wanted, but how should he manage to get to Yuriev's information?

He would have to get through number 669's conscious and Nigredo wouldn't simply allow that. The executioner was a dangerous man to him. His anti-dragon mode shouldn't be underestimated. Strength alone could backfire when the vessel of Yuriev uses the seal on him. Good thing that he was in number 666's body. That would keep him relatively safe.

He smiled to himself. There was something else that number 666 had never gotten aware of: the feelings that his younger brother had towards him.

To Nidhogg it had been more than obvious, that there was more to the black head's feelings than just brotherly love.

An evil flicker turned the blue eyes brown for a moment.

Oh yes! That would be his ticket inside Nigredo's mind.

…

Gaignun was sitting at his desk, sorting through a pile of papers. Where was this report from the increasing cases of robbery in the shop district of the Kukai foundation? A female thief was the mayor suspect in that case and he had intended to get through the paper tonight and sign it, so the local police could start working on it as soon as possible.

He sighed angrily. It had been around here somewhere! Frustrated he gave up and decided to ask Shelley for help the next morning.

It was already getting late and he still wanted to look after Junior. He wondered if he had been to hard to him.

Taking away the drug had been the right decision, but not allowing him to join the mission probably hurt his hot tempered sibling. Gaignun looked over to the two boxes, that he had just dropped on the

glass coffee table. He would bring it to a doctor later to analyze the ingredients.

Tired he rubbed his eyes. He really was worn out. Sure it wasn't the first time that he had to do a bunch of things simultaneously but this time really got to him. Maybe a break was inevitable now.

He stood up and walked to his bar to make himself a glass of whiskey. A smile appeared on his face. Junior would probably be begging him to get one too, if he could see him right now.

Gaignun took the bottle with him, when he seated himself on the only couch inside the room. Occasionally it was used to serve as a napping zone for Jr. or to have a cup of tea with guest, who would want to discuss things with him unofficially.

He relaxed and leaned back. It was a great feeling to just letting the time pass without doing anything. Maybe Jr. was right, that one day he might just drop on the floor from the lack of repose.

He had filled his glass a third time already, when the door of his office opened with a metallic sound.

Confused he turned his head around. Who would come uninvented at such an hour?

"Jr.?" Gaignun considered his mind to be malfunctioning, or even worse, his suppressed desire to play tricks on him.

But this Junior looked awfully real. What a torture! Exhausted he gulped down the rest of his drink, hoping it would stop the illusion and almost choked on it, when the "hallucination" started talking:

"Gush, Gaignun are you for real? First time I'm knocked out, you take as a chance tom perform a party on your own! All the time I tell you to have a little fun, but I wanted to be part of it, so you would have to admit to me that I was right all along!" The boy mustered a smile which was close to his usual, still it didn't seem to be truly meant.

"Jr.! You shouldn't be walking around already! You are supposed to be in bed!"

"Nah, don't treat me like I'm sick. I was just a bit confused before. I feel much better, really!"

Gaignun scanned the little red head from head to toe.

Well, he did look better. Maybe the sleep had done him quite good. However he had been so shaken up before, his mind craving for his cursed "medicine"...no, he definitely shouldn't be walking through the streets, without someone having an eye on him. Even the mere thought bothered the man. Quickly he made himself another glass to calm himself.

The boyish-looking URTV had his eyes on Gaignun's drink now.

_Good, very good indeed. Drink a bit more. Won't hurt my plans!_

"Do you want to have something too?"

"Huhum, could I have a soda?"

The CEO's eyes widened in surprise.

"Sure about that? Could it be, that you finally came to your senses, that drugs are no good for you?"

Almost at the same time both of them laid their eyes on the two boxes, that still laid on the table. Gaignun wanted to hit himself for such a careless action. Why did he just placed them there? He got up and stretched out his hand to remove the boxes, when Jr. grabbed his arm and held on to it.

"I haven't come for that Gaignun. No need to worry!" His big blue eyes trapped his younger brother's attention entirely.

"You wanted me to tell you the truth from now on, so I'll try...I...I was scared." Uncomfortably Jr. stopped to mesmerize his brother, when he embarrassed looked down on the floor. " I woke up and no one was there. I thought you left me. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't alone."

The man gently lifted the boy's chin and their eyes meet again.

"You will never be alone Jr.! There are so many people, who care about you and the last thing I would ever do, would be leaving you."

"I know, but still...you are important to me." One could see that such talk wasn't easy for Jr., speaking his heart had been a taboo for him since the events on old miltia. At least Gaignun thought that.

_You fool, you will be in my hands in no time._

"You are important to me too! I want you to be happy Jr., whenever you need me, I'll be there for you!"

Just now, he realized that his hand was still under the red head's chin and their faces awfully close. He withdrew his hand and leaned back in the couch to create some space between them. It was getting hot in the room, Gaignun thought.

"That sounded a bit like a proposal, didn't it?" At last a real smile placed itself on the boy's lips. Dazzled, the not-so-sober-anymore, man traced the lines of the juvenile face with his eyes. If he could just touch it! He raised his glass again to drown the dangerous thoughts with more alcohol.

"Anyway, I'm glad that you'll stay by my side Gaignun, I really mean it. I better get going now, seems you still have some things to do." He glanced at the heavy mountain of papers, that would clearly depress anyone simply with its seize.

"Good night Junior!"

"Good night Gaignun...-" and almost inaudible he added: "-I think I would have said "yes", if you had ever asked me."

That was it. The wall of self control, that Gaignun had always maintained in Jr.'s presence broke down.

With a swift motion he pulled Jr. towards him, placed his hands around his waist and kissed the much smaller variant on the lips. His desire had overcome him and, oh my gush, he thought to himself, he couldn't believe how soft and good his brothers lips felt.

The boy in surprise placed his hands on his shoulders and gave off a muffled sound, which caused the man to jerk back in shock.

"I-I'm so sorry! Please Junior I, I didn't want to, it just...your words...I mean...please forgive me!"

Gaignun hated himself for being so stupid. He had ruined everything with his action. All his efforts to not letting anyone know, everything gone to waste. He wanted to get up and leave as fast as he could, when he felt two hands pushing him back on the couch.

"Don't leave me!" Was all the red head said, while the blue sapphires reflected the light in an enchanting way.

That was more than he could endure. A dream could never be as great or fulfilling. That just couldn't be real, Junior wasn't disgusted or repelled? Could he really wish for his emotions to be returned by his secret love?

He bend slowly forward and paused just inches away from his brothers face, starring inside the deep blue and waiting for Jr.'s reaction.

Timid the red head filled-in the distance and their lips meet again. While kissing, Gaignun lifted Jr. up, so that the smaller variant now sat on his lap. "Junior." He breathed lightly on the boy's lips, letting one hand trail into the red locks that he had always adored. The seemingly younger variant leaned in the touch, which encouraged Gaignun to make the next step.

By the following kiss he softly used his tongue to open his brother's mouth, exploring the warm and exciting new area. Junior somewhat clumsy tried to move his tongue against Gaignun's, which send a shiver through the man's body.

They separated from each other to draw in some air. Gaignun marveled the sight infront of him. The red color in his brother's face assured him, that everything he had done till now, was wanted by the red-haired boy.

"Can I go further?" He asked almost sheepish. As an answer Junior gave him another light kiss and started to undress his upper body.

The man assisted him and started to caress the boy with his hands and mouth as soon as the shirt was off his little loved one. When he pressed his mouth against the place where Jr.'s heart was located, he received a content moan from the squirming boy.

Jr.'s hands clung on the fabric of Gaignun's suit, but grew more and more unhappy with it. With trembling hands he tried to unbutton the shirt, that kept him away from the other ones skin.

"Gush, how do you open this?" Gaignun helped him and loosened his tie and opened his shirt. Both flew on the floor. Finally the red head pressed his small frame against the man's well-built chest, continuing the kiss, they had interrupted before.

_God, you're really good. To bad that I need to break you, dear brother. Hahaha, to think that you would let down your guard so easily._

Suddenly the atmosphere changed. The boy that had just kissed him lightly and had clung to him shyly, started to move his tongue with more force.

"Uhm Jr. not so fast!"

Instead of slowing down the boy bit the man's lips and scratched his back with his nails.

"Ouch! Jr. what was that for?" An evil grin appeared on the small variants lips, letting his face appear demonic.

"My name's not Junior."

Gaignun's face froze and his eyes widened in shook, when heavy black strands of energy started to surround his brother. The boy's shape was changing.

In a few seconds the twelve year old looking URTV had grown up to a full-fledged man.

"Now let's get serious!"

With the force of a hammer the foundations CEO was knocked on the floor, letting his ear ring. Blood started to spill from a wound on his forehead.

Gaignun tried to comprehend the situation but failed miserably. What had just happen to him? His thoughts still in a mess, he didn't know what to say. Had reality failed him now completely?

Did Junior really just hit him after he had grown to the seize that he should have according to his age?

"Is that bewilderment I see in your face?" Asked the demon greatly amused. "That's something I rarely saw in your face during all the years we spend together. Somehow suits you, number 669."

"What? Number 669? Who...who are you? Junior? No you wouldn't...That's not you, right?"

"Ah, how lovely, even now that you should worry about yourself, you still think about your leader. I wonder if it was just our fathers plan to make us so very attached to each other."

"Wait, our father? Are you an URTV?"

Without giving an answer, the man approached Gaignun, who was still lying on the floor, and roughly turned him on his stomach. Afterwards he crawled on top of Gaignun and held him forcefully down. Wasn't to hard though, in his drunken state he couldn't put up a fight against such strength. The devilish man bit his neck and drew in his scent.

"Well, we have been at something else a minute ago. I'd like to continue with what we started."

"You can't be serious! Stop that!"

"Now that's weird, you really looked like you wanted that before. I'm still "Junior" you know, or at least a part of him." That statement made Gaignun mad, what did he mean by "part of him"? He tried to buck of the assailant, what was answered with his head being slammed on the floor.

"Still trying to escape? Even you can be stupid at times, I guess. But I am no devil, I might reconsider my plans, when you willingly give me access to your subconscious. Without any resistance, of course. Your choice!"

"My subconscious? Why would you want to go there?" Some blood from his wound found it's way into Gaignun's eyes and made him blink.

Nidhogg kissed Gaignun's bare shoulders and whispered in his ear: "Hmm, maybe to say "hello" to our dear dad?"

"No, this can't be, how do you know about him? No one knows!"

"I do. That's all that matters. Now, what is your answer?" Sickening slowly he let his hand run down on Gaignun's side until he reached his belt.

"I can't let you. Yuriev is dangerous. He might overcome my defense when I open a path to my subconscious. The only way to keep him trapped, is to close any door that could lead to him."

"I take care of that. Besides, even when he gets out, why should I care?"

"Yes, won't be your problem, but mine. I don''t want to be his puppet!"

"Aren't you his puppet already? Come on, I don't have the entire day. What's your final answer?" Nidhogg opened his belt and rested one hand on Gaignun's abdomen, who tried to suppress his nausea against the abhorrent touch.

"Urg, my answer is "No"! Junior would never forgive me, when I would give in to an imposter like you!"

As if an reaction to his words, Nidhogg's heart started aching.

_What? Still there? Get back to sleep, you can't help him!_

"To bad number 669. Than I have to get through your conscious the painful way. I gave you a choice, so no complaining afterwards!"

Nidhogg pulled his belt out and used it to tie Gaignun's hands together. Knowing that the black head couldn't defend himself anymore, he pulled down his pants and started to touch him.

"Now behave, my foolish brother!"

Gaignun tried to compose himself, but soon the level of alcohol and the soft and sticky words that the imposter send him over the link made his head spin. He had wished to hear Junior say such words and to exchange caresses with him (especially when he would have ever grown up) but this felt entirely wrong.

Still, whenever Nidhogg whispered a gentle _"I love you."_ or a tender _"I need you."_ over the link, his entire body shivered.

After a few more minutes Gaignun couldn't hold back any longer. He came with a choked cry. Without wasting a second the monster turned him on his back and plunged his arm into his abdomen, shattering his will into pieces. The black head lost his conscious and his head hit the floor once again.

"Finally I'll get what I want!"

The abominable shadow concentrated now entirely on the intrusion off his victims mind.

How sweet, how queer was the way he was able to sample Number 669's emotions and body. In a flash he had ripped away the layers between the awaken mind and asleep thoughts.

For an URTV, being hurt physically or mentally was pretty much the same, for they were such strong psychic warriors.

Now he used the same trick, he had pulled against Junior before, to defeat Gaignun. With a satisfied smile he moved his arm agonizingly slow through Gaignun's flesh. He closed his eyes and submerged into the depths of Nigredo's subconscious domain.

Immediately another will attacked him. Yuriev had felt the intrusion and witnessed the downfall of his vessel and tried to escape from his internal cage.

"Don't you want to greet me?" With a swift movement he blocked the attack and hit Dimitri with a mind wave, which knocked him back down. A growling lingered in the air, then a voice cut through the silence.

"Why should I, greet you? Of course It's impressive that you managed to get into Nigredo's head, but actually I don't really care who you are. Get away now, I have important things to do! How dare you to hinder me!"

"I'm afraid you are mistaken. I have the more important things on my schedule, which include your assistance, my dear father. That's the very reason for me being here. By the way, I still need to thank you for killing me."

"Nidhogg? Is that you? But how is that possible? All my attempts to save you were in vain. Even my last idea to bind you to your brothers body didn't work. You died!"

"Isn't that quite irrelevant? All you should care about is that I am alive and that I want you, to tell me everything about the creation of URTVs!"

**End chapter 7**

* * *

><p>This was a hard one. Keeping Gaignun in character was the hardest thing ever. I rewrote this chapter more than any other before. Still I am not completely satisfied but I wanted to progress with the story and just accepted the fact that I can't make it any better at the moment. Hope you still liked it. I give my best with the next one.<p>

Little translation: Liebe ist meine Maske = Love is my mask

poupee de porcelaine = porcelain doll


	8. Unwissenheit ist mein Schild

**Oh is it really that long? Dear me, what a shame. So please take my humble apologize. I never wanted to pause that long. **

**I just entered a new state in my life and i'm very happy with it. Drawback: less time to enjoy the fun of writing. Seems like all good things have a prize.**

**Anyways, here is the next, enjoy!  
><strong>

**Caution all readers: No yaoi in this one. ;) **

**Xenosaga and all characters belong to Monolith. I still think it's unfair. :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Unwissenheit ist mein Schild<strong>

**Chapter 8**

_*Inside the Encephalon, Core area, time abnormality, Elsa's dive*_

Ziggy knocked a Yuriev soldier down, while Shion shoot energy blasters against a big Carnicos II. The entire situation had changed since the domain was in a mess. It appeared that the core had lost its energy source and the domain started to crumble and fade, which meant that the person who had created this domain was either knocked out or dead. The only thing that prevented the space to cease existence where Shion and her group. As long as they stayed inside the encephalon, the domain would hold together for a bit longer.

Bad thing was, that all artificial beings inside the place now noticed them as anti-bodys and were after them.

"Shion, we need to retreat! There is a chance of 66% that we can get away unharmed but the odds are decreasing with every second. I must recommend a fast dive-out!"

"No Kosmos, we are so close to the core. We can't stop just now!"

"Iiieek!" Momo was knocked of her feet by a close explosion, caused from a O-78 Grisly.

"That was a mistake, no one harms her! HIND!" The wall cracked from the force of the fighting and explosions. Ziggy helped Momo back up and started to run even faster. The sound of destruction accompanying them.

"Hey everyone! I think I found the core!" "Well done, chaos! Now stay focused!" Jin busted into the room, which was barely lighted by lab screens. Greenish shadows danced upon the floor and the smell of disinfectant filled their lungs. A weird scene was spread infront of them...

...

"We are sorry, doctor Yuriev!"

"We really tried our best!"

"No one could have seen that coming."

A man in a green surgery cloth bend over the frame of a small boy. Blood dripped from the edge of the table to the floor. All devices that monitored the status of the patient showed a flatline, indicating with red warning lamps, that the pale boy was already out of reach for all medical treatment.

"Why...why didn't it work out? I've made so many calculations. Number 666 and Number 000 matched perfectly. Even their mind setting was almost 97% identical. It must have been your fault then, you incapable realian scum!"

"Sir, we have done everything we could and..."

"Don't you try to get yourself out of it, by pretending to have done your best! I seriously hate liars!"

The madman picked up a scalpel from the instrument tray and sliced the realian's throat open, with just one motion. The female realians shrieked in horror, but didn't do anything to help the bleeding man.

"Someone else who thinks that he had done all he could to save my most important creation?"

All remained silent...

Suddenly the computer system registered an increasing amount of energy in the growing fetus.

"Attention, all staff members are requested to leave the OR immediately! Unidentified increase of thermal energy! I repeat: all staff members are requested..."

"What's going on? Number 666?" Dimitri turned around and saw a pulsing red light around the small developing creature. "A rejection?" All bars shot dangerously high up. There would be no escape to that unrestrained power, Dimitri knew in an instant. The red light grew stronger, when abruptly the attached twin started moving it's tiny hands, clasping and stretching in a calm speed. The stronger twin seemed to feel the motion. The red light flickered and died.

"Incredible!"

"Did the other one just calm him down?"

Dr. Yuriev stepped closer to the glass pillar, watching the two beings hovering in the green fluid.

"I guess I just got a new idea. Hey you!"

"Yes Sir?" A beautiful realian woman hesitantly approached him.

"I need you to change some values in number 669's development plan. Take the weaklings data information and fuse them with number 669's mental program. This way I will create an anti-red dragon mode. Seal of the red dragon, that's a good name for it, I think."

"Of course Dr. Yuriev!" Hastily she left the room to follow his instructions. Dimitri started to laugh. "Gwahahahaha, to think that he held such power! Maybe he can replace Nidhogg just fine. Good thing, that he revealed his weak spot all the same. Thanks to you number 667. I will use your astonishing ability to create a vessel for myself that needs not fear the red dragon's power at all!"

The scene faded and the persons vanished. Only the cold and eerie room remained.

...

"Shion, was that Junior and Albedo over there in the pillar?"

"Yeah I think so Momo. But what happened there just now? Who was that URTV, that was lying there on the table? Number zero, Hm, I never heard of him."

Chaos stood silent behind them, arms crossed. A bad feeling lingered in his chest. Number zero and number 666...then another thought erased his attention on the dead URTV and Jr. connection.

"Wait, what did Yuriev just say about number 669?" All eyes turned on him.

"What do you mean, chaos?" Momo locked her eyes on the cherub in confusion.

"I mean what he said about creating a vessel. Could it be that Gaignun..."

Shook appeared in everyone's eyes (excluding Kosmos, who dragged out her guns and made a stern face).

"Then we know who the intruder was and why he had access to highly secured information. Gaignun knew all the passwords!" Shion looked very unhappy.

"But mister Gaignun wouldn't do such a thing!" Momo replied with a shaking voice. "He is very nice and gentle and, and he just would never ever harm any of us!"

"Momo, we know that Gaignun would never willingly betray us, but when Dimitri found a way to take over his body, he wouldn't have a choice!" Chaos hugged the small girl that had just started sobbing.

"Jr. will be so sad, he won't understand!", she cried.

Again the walls were shaking. "We only have a 37% chance left. We need to retreat, Shion! Your safety is no longer guaranteed."

"All right, Kosmos, everyone, DIVE OUT!" And only to herself she added: "Allen please, lead us out of here!"

The institute started to dissolve in a blur of colors.

...

"Your back! Good to see you unharmed!" Allen jumped from his seat to welcome the awaking group.

"Something wrong?" He asked when he noticed the gloomy faces everyone was mustering. Chaos was the first to speak.

"We found out who's the intruder. Even though the domain almost collapsed we made it to the core."

"Why are you depressed then? This is great! You did an amazing job! Who is it?"

"Gaignun Kukai, CEO of the Kukai foundation and second leader of the Durandal."

"No way!" Disbelievingly Allen starred at chaos as if he had lost his mind. "This is a joke right? He would never, I mean, he is our ally!" Silent befall all of them.

"...I see, you are serious..o.k. so what are we going to do now? Shion, what are your plans?"

"Arresting him I guess. What else can we do? We don't know what he is up to and we need to find out why the Encephalon-domain was demolished."

...

*citizen area, room of the CEO*

A boy was sitting on top of a move less man. Everything was calm and if not for the wound on his forehead one could have thought that the two of them had just played a game and that the younger one had just won it. The grin on the boys face didn't match a joyful game but somehow mirrored his ragged mind.

"Finally it's all mine! See, old man, you got nothing against me!" He tried to get up but fell back on the unconscious man.

_Damn, number 669 really more of a psychic warrior. Indulging him in my illusions took almost my entire strength._

Fatigued he managed to lift himself up. He still grinned down on the other URTV.

_Amazing that I managed to defeat my executor. If I just got lucky? Hmm better not giving him a chance to fulfill his purpose. It's time that I get you out of my way permanently. _

"Bye, bye, baby brother!"

...

*deep space, ES Simeon*

"We are almost at fifth Jerusalem. What should I wear, my dear Kirchwasser? White suits me, but is drawing to much attention on me. Red I love just as much, but this color is for my dear brother only. Black would be amusing. I guess I would irritate someone very much. Still wearing a suit is not my style. Better to disguise myself as something harmless. Am I still having that vector uniform, which a nice employee gave me as a "present"?"

Albedo chuckled. The employee had been rather annoying. After asking him very kindly, what exactly Albedo was doing with the secret blueprints, he had lost his life awfully fast. The free uniform had been a nice bonus.

Albedo changed his clothes and prepared the E. for a stealthy approach on the city's hangar.

...

*Fifth Jerusalem, citizen area, room of the CEO*

"I-can't-shoot!"

Nidhogg gritted his teeth from the strain. Still his finger hadn't moved an inch to trigger the gun.

"Stop-it!"

_I have to kill him. He is dangerous! I don't care if you like him or not. His powers are a threat to me!_

Noise alerted the red head that someone was coming. He lowered the gun and hid it.

"Damn you, you pighead! This time you got your will. But this was the last time!" Fast as a weasel he slipped out of the room and walked through the corridor. Leaving the helpless man behind.

_Time to look for a way to locate the old mans institute. Didn't that 100 series realian posses some magnificent analysis abilities? Maybe I should get her to help me. Would make things faster. Well, but first I'll better get back to my room._

_..._

_*Fifth Jerusalem, city area, near Gaignun's office*_

"We have to be careful. He might be armed and even if he isn't he still is very powerful."

"I still do not believe what you are saying about our master! He ain't a traitor, no way!"

"Shelly please! Shion wouldn't say something bad about Gaignun-sama if she hadn't prove and even Momo confirmed it!"

"But Mary, master Gaignun is such a gentleman and everythin'!" A lonely tear dripped from the girls cheek. Shelly hated the thought, that Gaignun could have done something against the foundation, against her and Mary but the evidence couldn't be ignored. They had to clarify the entire situation and from now on Gaignun was a suspect.

They had reached his office and halted. Ziggy stepped forward, causing a loud clanging sound to spread in the hallway, with his metallic boots.

"Let me go first!" He opened the door and jumped inside. Ready to take any attack thrown at them.

"What the..?"

The group followed at his heels.

"Master Gaignun?" No one stopped Shelly when she rushed forward an ran towards the motionless and half undressed man. His Shirt was gone and therefore he looked unusual unfitting in the office room.

"Shelley is he alright? What could have happened here?"

"I really ain't no clue, chaos. It seems he hit his head somehow, but other than that, he is alright. What do we do with him now?"

"First we treat his head and then we have to keep him locked up until we straighten the things out."

Ziggy and Jim lifted the CEO of the ground and went of to carry him to the next hospital. Everyone just stood there in a mere shook. Until a voice interrupted everyone's thoughts.

"Where's Jr., Shelley? Weren't you supposed to call him?"

"Errm, I was sure that he would have thrown a big mess to save Gaignun. I am sure I would somehow done the same." Embarrassed the young women looked to the ground.

"It's ok. I'll go tell him. Better me than someone else. In fact maybe you did the best thing after all, Shelley." Chaos turned around and left for his unfortunate mission to break the news to the hot headed URTV.

...

*fifth Jerusalem, prison cell*

Gaignun opened his eyes. He was starring at the ceiling, quite confused about how he had gotten here. Hadn't he been in his office before? He reached for his hurting head, only to feel a bandage wrapped around his temple. The memories slowly felt back in place.

"Jr., what happened to you?" Cautious as not to stir any more pain he turned his head around. So he was imprisoned, he thought. Grief overwhelmed him. How was he supposed to help Jr. when he was locked inside this rotten place?

...

*Fifth Jerusalem, hangar, Durandal, Jr.'s room*

Nidhogg was back in his room and laid down. Surprised he realized, that he held something in his left hand. Had he carried that fabric all the way with him? He didn't remember taking it. With great caution he lifted it and placed it in front of his face. No doubt it was number 669's shirt. Without thinking he cushioned his face inside the soft fabric and took in the smell.

_Gaignun_

_I miss you_

_please forgive me_

"Oh shut the hell up already!"

Angrily he threw the shirt on the ground. Thinking twice he picked it up again and hid it under his bed.

"Are you that desperate for affection? What a leader you are! Always depending on others, pathetic! Now be quiet!"

He got back into the bed. He had to think of an excuse, in case that number 669 should be so stupid to tell the others what he had experienced. Claiming that Nigredo, as a traitor, would try to avert suspicion from himself and causing it on him sounded pretty convincing. He would go for that if needed. He didn't have to wait very long until someone knocked on his door.

Time to be Jr. again.

"Come on in, the door's open!"

"Morning Jr., how do you feel?"

"Great, thanks chaos. Mann, you look horrible. Did you get any sleep? How was your mission? Had fun without me? You missed me right?"

"Yes, we missed you-" chaos smiled "-and our mission...well, actually the mission is the reason for me being here. We found out who the traitor was."

"Come on, don't keep me on the tenterhooks!"

"It was Gaignun, Junior and please believe me, I don't make jokes. We have prove that it was him. One realian remembered to have seen him on the day the blueprints were stolen. She didn't think much about it then, but now we know what he did there. Don't get angry now. We have him in custody already."

"You,..he..how..he really is the one? I can't believe it. Why should he do such a thing. I mean, he and I, we are brothers!"

"We think that Dimitri Yuriev somehow has his hands in this."

"My old man? But no, Gaignun would have never ever assisted him in whatsoever. I think he hates Dimitri even more than I do."

"We haven't found out how exactly Yuriev did it. We are trying to figure it out. Until then, I am afraid, you are not allowed to visit him. He would probably try to scheme you into freeing him. You should also disconnect your mental connection to him for the moment. He can be very convincing with his words."

"Did he say something to defend himself? A reason for his actions?"

"No, we found him unconscious inside his office. He must have hit his head. Maybe he didn't want to cope with Dimitri anymore and got punished. He hasn't woken up when I was there. Maybe he tells us more when he finally does."

"Uhum, o.k. . I know you wouldn't separate me from him if it wouldn't be dangerous. I'll stay away from him, but make sure to tell me immediately when I can visit him, alright?"

"Thanks Junior! By the way, Momo has been asking about you. Will you meet us on the bridge later on?"

"Sure thing!" Very relieved chaos left the room and headed towards the others. It had been a good decision to not let Shelly or Momo pass the info. They would have probably unsettled the red head instead of calming him down.

His steps slowed down for a moment.

Calming down...he hadn't really done much to suppress Jr.'s fury. Rarely had he seen Jr. this composed and submissive when it concerned his brothers. Also the consent to keep away from Gaignun somehow came to fast. He had expected Jr. to throw a fit before accepting it.

He shook his head. Maybe he was reading to much into it. Jr. had been probably just weakened from his illness and therefore didn't put up a fight. That simply had to be it.

Chaos resumed his original speed.

...

*back in Jr.'s room*

Nidhogg changed his cloth to his new black vest, white shirt and black pants. His silver accessory loosely tied around his belt. He double checked his appearance, smoothed his hair and finally happy with what he saw, left the room. It was time to find Momo, his navigator to Yuriev's ancient laboratory.

...

**End chapter 8**

* * *

><p>If you liked it please review. Also: can't promise to be faster with the next chapter but I try my best!P.S. Next chapter will be yummy. ;) Oh just a little thing about this chapter: Sorry for the fast jumps, but in order to accelerate the narration for the next chapter (I mean everyone had to be in place), I had to shorten some parts. My fault if it should be a little hard to read.<p>

**Like before a little translation: Unwissenheit ist mein Schild = nescience is my shield**


	9. Sorge ist mein Schwert

**Hello dear reader, a new chapter is done. Took me another few months but here it is! **

**The conclusion is not that far away anymore. Wanna know how it all ends? So stick to me a while longer. **

**As I have promised before: This will not be cancel or dropped before I end this story. **

**'Cause I think there is nothing more sad, than reading a story which just ends in the middle of nowhere. ;)**

**CAUTION: Yaoi (BoyxBoy), horror and swearing in this one. Please if you don't like, don't read! **

**This is rated M, so if you are underage please understand that this is not for you yet. **

**Last thing: Xenosaga and all it's characters belong to Nintendo and Monolith.**

* * *

><p><strong>Sorge ist mein Schwert<strong>

**Chapter 9**

*fifth jerusalem, prison, present*

Gaignun was lying on his bed with his eyes closed. Again he thought everything over. Still he hadn't been able to come to a satisfying answer with what had happened with his older brother. Cautiously he tried to open up a link to Junior. He felt a wall that shut him out of his brother's mind. To be expected, he thought to himself. Gaignun increased the strength and created a mighty wave to destroy the wall. It wrapped itself around the strand of the link and went on it's way.

...

*fifth jerusalem, hallway near Gaignun's office, at the same time*

"Where is Mr. Goody-two-shoes? His room is vacated and no sign to find, where "our so very important and wonderful" leader of the Kukai foundation disapeared to." Albedo spit out Gaignun's title, sour that his claws still hadn't been able to wrap around Nigredo's neck. What did all the world like about that guy anyways? O.K. he was looking handsome, but actually that characteristik trait run in their genes. Being an URTV included the faith to be looking like any other URTV.

Albedo stopped for a moment. No that wasn't quite right. Rubedo always had been more handsome, more brilliant and more attracting than any other URTV. His little heart had always been stronger and more comforting than any other sound in the entire universe. Damn that stupid younger brother. He just had to tell him were Rubedo was at the moment. Just thinking about the energetic red-head made him restless.

Suddenly a strong presence pushed upon the shriveled link. Surprised Albedo's eyes widened. Such a forceful blow he had long not experienced. Way to much energy was used to just get in contact with someone else within the link. There were only two people he knew, who would be able to do something like that.

"So there you are my baby brother." He followed the strong signal, passing a few people and employees without being spotted. Soon the white haired man reached a door with a sign on it: Prison area, accsess only for prison officers and asigned staff members. Now Albedo was confused. Why on earth should Nigredo be in there? Absent minded he rubbed his chin. Forcefully or stealthy approach which should he chose...

He hadn't yet come to a decision when a realin approched him.

"Good day to you Sir! Excuse me but could you please help me?"

"What is it low worm?!" Albedo snapped.

"What was that, I couldn't understand the last part of your sentence." She still smiled. Way to polite, or simply stupid Albedo thought to himself.

"I said "lovely women" my dear." Her smile got even wider. Albedo settled on simply stupid.

"Oh Sir, I usually need to deliver the prisoners food, but I got another important assignment, which I have to do immediately. Could you be so kind, please, and deliver the food for me? Besides, for I see you are a Vector employee, you could collect the data about Mr. Kukai at the same time!" What weird coincidence Albedo mused. Nigredo being in jail! A vile smile crept over his face, which seemed to be misunderstood from the realian, who smiled back now full of hope that she had found someone to help her.

"Of course I'll help you mon petite, niaise beauté." He took the tray and the keys from her. He then mustered a gentelmanly smile while she, blushing a little, waved her hand and rushed out of the hall.

"What an imbecile fool! Could it be that she actually was afraid to serve my, oh so charming, brother?" That seemed not very likely, Nigredo always had his way with women, then again how did it happen that he ended up here? Well, he could ask his brother soon enough. He opened the door, went inside and looked around.

There were at least twenty cells but just one with a guard infront of it. Putting two and two together, Albedo walked towards the jailer, placing his famous artificial grin on his face.

"What a splendid day it is, my friend. I have brought the nurishment for our "ex-master", could I pass, please?"

"You are new here. Haven't seen you before. Do you want to collect the data too." The guard asked with a curios look on the Vectorsign on Albedo's uniform.

"That is correct. Would you now be so kind to open the door for me?" The man turned around, typed in the password and steped aside to let Albedo through. When the guard had closed the door again, he mumbled to himself: "Vector really does have weird guys on their paybill!"

It was quite dark inside the cell and it took Aldedo a moment to adjust his eyes to the dim light. When his eyes fell upon the only bed inside the room, he furrowed his brows.

""Great! Now I start halluzinating again. Seeing a Vector employee as Albedo...how far has my mind gone down?"Came a hoarse voice from the metal bar. Nigredo's voice seemed strenghtless and worn down, as if he had been crying for some time. Albedo had to gulp down the bad feeling that was spreading in his stomach.

Never thought to ever see you in such a state Nigredo.

Surprised to hear the teasing voice in his mind, Gaignun sat upright in a flash and held his throbbing head from the quick motion.

"NO! You are dead!"

"Well, what a lively undead I am then. Don't you agree Nigredo?!" Gaignun simply starred at him dumbfounded, trying agin this day to make at least some sense out of it.

So Junior told me the truth. He mumbled to himself.

"What was that? Stop mumbling and really, I hate it when you call him by that name!"

"I call him whatever he wants me to call him-!" A little calmer he added: "- and I said that he told me the truth, when he claimed, that you were alive and that he had met you." Albedo's face dropped: "What the...he knew? Wait what do you mean? He said he MET me?"

Gaignun felt the confusion of his brother and drowned in the same puzzlement as the white haired man. Albedo noticed that Gaignun grew pale and closed the distance between them.

"Hey Nigredo, don't you dare to faint! You still have to tell me about Rubedo! Where he is for instance!"

Gaignun's vision had already went black and Albedo cursed under his breath, while he supported his now unconscious brother to prevent him from falling to the floor.

"I still need to talk to you and you won't get away wir´th just passing out like this."

He lifted Gaignun over his shoulder and activated a hidden microphone under his collar.

"Kirschwasser, activate Simeon's missiles. Aim at the durandal in the hangar! That should activate the alarm over all Jerusalem." He ended the communication and just a few seconds afterwards he could feel the floor shaking. Immediately the alarm went on and Albedo rushed out of the room.

The guard was talking over the transponder asking what was going on outside. His back towards Albedo.

Perfekt timing!

He threw an energy ball against the man, who dropped to the floor and ran through the hall towards Simeon.

...

*Durandal, bridge, a few minutes ago*

Momo sat on a metalic chair, that was usually occupied by a blue-haired 99series realian. Her feet dangling above the ground and her arms supporting her weight, she looked at the busy people ranning up and down the bridge of the Durandal. Everything seemed so confusing to her and she was afraid what could possibly happen next. All she ever wanted was peace and that everyone was happy. Thinking of Gaignun locked away, Junior being sick and currently probably very furious about Gaignun's imprisonment showed her vividly, that the quite time for them was as far from their grip as ever. It made her sad.

The elevator was activated and lifted the long absent captain of the space ship to his bridge. Within a second a bulb of realians had formed around him, asking how he was and if they could do anything for him. Junior simoly laughed and smiled at everyone. He assured them, thar he was alright and that they shouldn't worry, bad weeds grow tall he said with a smug face.

The group that had gathered dissolved slowly, when the admirerers had to get back on their assigned dutys and Momo used the chance to finally talk to Jr. alone.

"Hey there, beauty! What's with that sad face Momo?"

"Hi Jr. it's nothing...hum could we go to the park? It's so loud here." She looked to the floor embarassed.

"Sure, let's go!" He genty took her hand and led her away from unwanted eavesdropper.

Momo had seated herself on her favorite spot on the bench while Jr. looked a bit disappointed to the the free place near the well, that he liked the best. But this wasn't the time. It was far more important to please the girl, he tought to himself. So he sat down beside her.

"What do you wanna talk about, Momo?"

Time to break the ice and get to the point girl.

"Well, it's good to see you smiling Jr. but I have the feeling that deep inside you aren't happy at all."

He didn't say anything and after an awkward pause she continued.

"I know that you are unhappy since a longer time now. You haven't been yourself after Albe- erm after his death." Junior flinched involuntarily.

"First I thought that you were only griefing for him, but now I think that there must be more to it." She hesistently lifted her hand and placed it on Jr.'s. He didn't withdrew his hand but looked sternly infront of him.

"Please don't hold your feelings in Jr.! You can tell me everything. I won't tell anybody! You can trust me Jr." She tried so very hard to comfort him and her hands shaked slightly.

Now he slowly turned his head towards the small pink haired girl and looked straight in her dazzling, golden eyes. Momo started to turn a light red and shifted her weight a little.

"You don't have to tell me, but if you need any help, I'll be there for you."

"That's really cute of you, Momo. But your concern about my emotions are unnecessery really! I'm not sad or anything...but you are right. I do have something on my mind for a longer time now. It's about Gaignun and my old man. I thought that Gaignun sometimes behaved a little weird and I was thinking of a way to confront him. Never did I possibly believe that my old man was behind it. Now that I know it I got an idea and I would like to ask you for help since you offered it to me. I wouldn't have asked you otherwise. "

"What is it Jr.? I'll do whatever I can!" Jr. looked very happy now and his smile seemed to give his entire appearance a new and refreshed sparkle.

"I want to find a way to heal Gaignun from Dimitri and I might findd a clue how to do that, when I visit my old man's laboratory."

"His laboratory? Hum, is it still functionell?"

"I don't now, but maybe I can find papers or information about Gaignun's condition. I don't care if the machines work or not."

That seemed to smoothen Momo's angst against all kinds of life-forming facilities. She knew, that she owned her life to those researches, but she still was enlighted that Yuriev's lab appeared to be no threat anymore. She remembered the dive and shuddered.

"O.K. Junior, I'll help you to find it. Let me connect to the Durandal's interstellar radar system right away!" She stood up and Jr. gave her an affectionate look.

"Thanks Momo, your such a great friend! Oh, but don't tell Chaos or anyone else about it. They would not let me go alone. I usually appreciate every helping hand but there they would be a hinderance for me. I know the place much better and who knows what kind of traps my old man installed there to protect his dirty little secrets. No tellin', promise?!"

He gave her one of his famous puppy-eyes expression and clasped his hands together. Momo, who was flattered to be a secret-keeper for Junior, simply nodded and beamed with delight. They stood up and walked to the radar station.

...

*Durandal, a little later*

Now that had been fun.

Jr. stood next to the cute realian girl, that was connected to the computer system in front of her. She narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together in concentration.

"Hmm, I think I found it Junior. Let me double check it. Ah, yes, it's Dr. Yuriev's research facility. Do you want to copy the coordinates on a memory stick?"

"Yeah, that would be great Momo. You sure are the best!" The boy stretched out is hand and the smiling girl placed the data in his palm. She wanted to say something as a reply, when suddenly the alarm went on.

"What happened?" Squeacked the frightened realian and clung to Jr.'s arm.

"Let's go back to the bridge, then we will find out what's this about!"

Already people were running around, screaming orders or calling names of their family members. Fire seemed to have broken out nearby, for thick smoke spread rapidly in the hallway.

"Momo, get on your knees! The smoke is dangerous. Follow the lights on the floor to the next exit. Don't stop even when your vision is gone entirely. We need to get out of here!"

"But Jr. I don't know..."

"Hey, I'm right behind you! Don't be afraid, we'll make it!"

"O.k.!" Came the short, sniffling reply.

They continued to crawl towards the exit, while the smoke got thicker and pitch black. Even the sounds seemed muffled and to orientate got harder by seconds.

If someone watched movies, it always seemed that fire was so bright and would enlight the surroundings. The thruth is that fire is as black as dark matter. You can feel the heat crawling into your skull, burning you hair but never will you see the seat of fire. Making haste is the only way to survive.

Momo's knees were already grazed and she could hardly see the floors exit lights anymore.

"Hey Jr. how long do we still have before we reach the end?" Nothing but the constant buzzing of the fire-alarm answered her.

"Jr.?" ... "You there?" ... "Please, say something!" ... "Jr! Can you hear me?" ... "You didn't leave me, right?"

Tears fell down on the heated floor with a sizzle. Still she didn't stop and made her way further down the hall. The temperature rose and Momo started coughing from the toxic smoke inside her loungs. The exit wasn't far anymore and safety was in grasp. But momo didn't really care ... because Momo was alone.

...

*somewhere close*

*cough, cough, cough*

"Damn smoke, got in my loungs, urg blärk! Still have to thank fortuna for her gift. Getting away never had been easier, hähähähä. Well, where was the ship hangar again?" He turned around to the layout plan of the Durandal. A rescue ship should do, so he followed the signs to the on-site docking station.

Every staff member seemed to be evacuated or busy with the fire, for Nidhogg was alone in the big hangar. Unseen he decided for a fast, streamlined freighter and got inside of it. Again it was no problem for him to deactivate the safety locks and in less than ten minutes the ship was ready and set to become airborne. He activated the gates and the ship was maneuvered to the launch pad.

...

On the bridge there was a big commotion. The ingeneers and the firewatch had their hands full to repair the damage, while the warriors were still on the look out of the enemy. Everyone was thinking that an ES had been responsible for the mess, because other technology would have never been able to get inside fifth jerusalem and attacking the Durandal undetected. Chaos stood in the middle of the excited staff and wondered where Jr. could be right now. He should be first to give orders in such a situation. Mary and Shelley were the only persons in the room, who held everything together.

The elevator rose and there was an angry looking cyborg, carrying a half unconsious bundle of pink caringly in his arms.

"Momo, are you alright? What happened?" Ziggy answered for her, for she had a hard time staying awake.

"She's o.k., I found her near the fire exit on platform five, almost suffocated by the smoke."

"What did she do there? Wasn't she with Jr.?" The mentioning of the red head's name seemed to upset the man even more.

"Yes he was with her, but he left her alone during the escape from the fire!" He growled deeply disappointed by the leader of the Durandal. He knew that Jr. was a little loud-mouthed and sometimes maybe not the most serious person, but Ziggy had never believed, that Jr. would ever leave a helpless Momo behind.

Chaos looked at the tall man with actual bewilderment.

This was just impossible. Jr. would never...

Well, weren't that the words that they had all used for Gaignun just before? He was interrupted when a realian ran towards them and reported straight away:

"Sir, the prisoner! The prisoner has escaped!"

"No, this is really to much!" Chaos felt a serious headache approching. He massaged his temples.

"How did that happen?"

"Apparently, sir, he had help from the outside. The guard was barely alive when we found him. He was transfered to the hospital and during the transport he told us something about a vector employee. He was tall, handsome and had white hair, even though he seemed to be in his twenties. Oh, and the guard said, that the stranger had the weirdest eyes. He said they were..."

"Purple!" Chaos tried to surpress the horror that build up in his chest.

"How did you know that, sir? Do you know who that man was?"

Chaos completed the entire gruesome picture of the happenings in the last weeks and his eyes turned somewhat sad.

"Albedo!"

...

*ES Simeon's hideout place, exact position diversified, present*

"Albedo!" The man had his arms akimbo and shoot daggers at the lunatic, white haired man.

"You...you liberated me. Why did you do that?!" The lunatic seemed very bored and answered with a sarcastic tone.

"Because I love you so much, executioner and because..." Now his tone got more incisive. "I want to know where Rubedo is!"

"Junior is at the Durandal, I guess." Gaignun cast down his eyes.

"No, I wasn't able to feel him. I would have felt his presence, when I was busy to get ya ass out of the lovely-crap-of-a cell." The URTV was angry that the younger man just wasn't giving him a straight and true answer.

"Obsienties aren't helping anyone, Albedo! I tell you, I know that he was there."

"Alright, let's assume you are not lying. What did you mean before you fainted with, that he claimed that he had met me?"

"That he did just that. He was quite stressed about it. So now I ask you, why did you do that to him? He was a total mess when he thought that he had killed you. Ever since he literally abused his own body to match his mental pain..." Gaignuns eyes met the floor again. "...I couldn't do a thing for him. He wouldn't let me." Albedo's mouth gaped slightly open.

"Nigredo you are really letting me in the dark. I was indeed dead and I haven't made contact to Rubedo since the day inside Omega. What you are saying now doesn't make sense at all."

Gaignun hated the thought to vividly explain Jr.'s actions, but it seemed that Albedo somehow was saying the truth, as absurd as it seemed...Albedo currently being more sane than Jr.! Then again, Jr. still did that to him...Gaignun made up his mind.

"Albedo, I can show you what happened over the internal link." Sceptically the older man eyed his younger sibling. When he saw no doubt, he stepped closer towards Gaignun. The internal link was even stronger than the usual connection. Even though it required physical connection, the exchanged pictures held the pristine thruth. No one was able to alter them. Still Gaignun must be quite desperate, when he allowed Albedo to invade his personal space like that.

Gaignun opened his shirt and sat down on the earth cross-leged. Albdeo got on his knees and without further hesistation, or warning, he reached inside Gaignun's bare chest. The black-haired man flinched but didn't stop him. Albedo had done this procedure with Momo a while ago, still it was weird to see the other's thought so strong and clear. Not to forget that Gaignun was on a total different level. Albedo gasped at the intensity of the connection and Gaignun started trembling. All events from the past flashed back and fro and Albedo laid his free arm around the shaking man to stabilize him. In return Gaignun wrapped his arms around his back and remained in that position until Albedo carefully disconnected the link. He withdrew his hand and stood in silence, drowning in his own thoughts.

That had to be a nightmare somehow. His one and only "staedy point" in his screwed-up life had decided to lose it's mind. He thought about the dream he had. The weird voice, that had spoken to him before he had seen Rubedo slaughtered.

Albedo suddenly analized Gaignun in front of him with great interest.

"Say, Nigredo, what happened to Dimitri after you shoot that old bastard?" Gaignun was thrown aback by that question.

"He, well...I...I don't know!"

"Liar."

"No really, I don't have a clue."

"Nigredo stop pretending. Tell me or I'll punch you straight in the face till you drop it! I know he is connected to you somehow."

Gaignun gulped hard, seemed to be the time of surrender for him. He reached out to Albedo again and pressed the white haired man's hand to the side of his head. Then he simply let go of the restraint a little.

The pictures now were different from what Albedo had seen before. They were only black, bended orbs with patches of color on it: Gaignun's subconscios. There another will pulsed and mixed with Gaignun's mind. The will seemed to have been weakened but it still clung to his host inseparably and parasitical.

"Hey father, come out to play. I need to talk to you again." There was a growling with a nerved lining to it.

"I want to know about Nidhogg! Who is he and what connection has he with you?" The growling stopped abruptly.

"He was a mistake..."

"And?"

"I should have never created any of you!"

"Any of us? You mean URTVs? Is he a URTV? Really? I don't know him."

"He died before you had an actual consciousness. So why do you care about old stories? He was a failure and that's it."

"Lying compulsion seems to be inheritable. Nigredo is just like you in that department. You can be so proud."

"You think you can pique me with insults? You should know better Albedo! Else I might not be feeling like answering any of your questions."

"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! YOU TELL ME EVERYTHING OR I JUST KILL NIGREDO! THAT WOULD SOLVE TWO PROBLEMS FOR ME AT ONCE!" Anger like that had rarely flown inside Albedo's veins but he was getting seriously frustrated by the lack of answers that people gave him lately. God damned, he was feared and carefully attended to. It really was time to get serious. Seemed Yuriev understood that he should not be messed with anymore.

"...good, have it your way 667! Nidhogg was the URTVs prototype. He was the strongest I ever created and his hate towards U-Do astonished even me."

"How is he connected to Rubedo?"

Dimitri paused for a short time, the he continued.

"He...must have taken over 666's mind somehow."

"Is that all?" Albedo had the feeling that Dimitri knew more about that, but Albedo had other things he had to know first.

"What is he up to?"

"I'm not completely sure myself but I think the most probable conclusion would be, that he is after my laboratory to create other URTVs and then to elimante U-DO with their help."

"How do I stop him and how do I get Rubedo back?"

"...I've never seen a mental connection dissolved again. It was never intended to be an option, at least not without killing the host."

Albedo let his hand slide down and Gaignun was left sitting on the floor shaking from the tension that had built up inside his chest during the conversation.

"Hmm seems bad news to you too, Nigredo." Gaignun regained his composure.

"Well, I somehow expected it...but not for Junior! What do we do now?!"

"I only know what I'll do. I'll stop that Nidhogg guy and then I save Rubedo somehow!" He turned around and started to walk to Simeon.

"Idiot, alone we don't stand a chance! I've met Nidhogg and for god's sake he is on a total different level than us!" Albedo continued to walk away and Gaignun mumbled to himself: "Better I contact the others. Even if I have to admit that I was your stupid pawn, father!" The man stood up and started to activate a stationary communicator to contact the Durandal.

...

*Durandal, bridge, present*

"Beep, beep beep! Incoming message, personal identification numbe belonging to the profile of Gaignun Kukai, first CEO and second captain of the Durandal."

Everyone stared at the wide screen, until an exhausted man appeared on it with bad news for the entire crew.

...

*Yuriev's Institute, laboratory, present*

A lonesome juvenile was restless walking around, typing variables into computers and programming the left-behind robots. Already a new line of URTVs had begun to grow. The juvenile snickered in the tranquil surrounding, making it sound like the wisper of the devil.

Never had he expected that things would work out so nicely to his favor.

...

*Yuriev's Institute, devastated park, who knows how much later*

The plants had shriveled and lost their once green and vital appeareance. No longer emitting the smell of life and growth, which was so sweet and soothing to the admirerers nose. Now the stench of decay and dust, rotten and sick filled the air.

How pleasant and fitting it was for the red haired boy, who sat on "his" bench sourrounded by blondes. One had his head on the lap of his "master". He laid perfectly still, while the superior URTV stroke his blond locks. The elder was marveling the beautiful and submissive minds, that he had gathered so easily around him. No one of these silent boys would try to fight against him. They were simply made for his plans and additionally he had taken precaution to every contingency. While they had slept inside the eerie glas pillars, he had had enough time to erased any dissobedience they could muster inside their little hearts.

The longer he stroke the hair of the plain-faced boy, the more he felt a hunger rise in his chest.

His hands traveled down the chin of his self-made number 14P2*. Slowly his fingers ghosted over the blond's throat and then continued downthe white t-shirt, that was the standard for all URTVs to wear.

"Get up!" The red head ordered and the other boy got to his knees immediately. Hungry eyes met docile ones. The leader bend forward and touched the emotionless lips.

"Get your shirt off!" No objection came from the poor puppet, while it obeyed and shoved the shirt over it's head. The red head pushed the blond backwards onto the bench and crawled on top of him. He bit down into the submissive ones shoulder until blood was dripping from the wound.

How he wanted to become one with his own creation, tasting every bit of it, devouring the weak boy. Excited by the blood on his tongue, he let his slender fingers slide into the other's pants and unbottoned it. Blue unblinking eyes followed his movements, but never did anyone of the aside standing URTVs try to intervene. He trew the blond's pants off and positioned himself between the tighs of his prey.

Not bothering himself with preparing the pitiful boy, he pushed down. Shocked by the pain, number 14P2 shut his eyes but still didn't even open his mouth to cry out for help. Nidhogg continued to push and thrust until he felt himself getting close. Never did he even try to make it pleasant for his choosen partner as well.

"Kiss me!" He said gruff and aggressive. He then marveled the first pained expression his victim made, when the boy took all his strenght to bend up and kiss him. The sensation of the puppet's lips unskilled, but eager to follow the leader's orders, against the red head's lips send him over the edge. Growling he came inside the violated boy. Catching his breath he withdrew and closed his pants. Ignoring the momentary throbbing of his heart, he straightened up his cloath and turned towards the shivering URTV that still laid on the bench. Amazing that the boy didn't stare at him with anger or with disgust. Just for a moment he even thought to see compassion in the boy's eyes. No, that probably was just his imagination. No one had a reason to feel pity for him. He was in the possessionof the red dragon and soon he would cripple a god. That boy was nothing and clearly in no position to feel sympathy for his creator!

"Go clean yourself up!" He ordered ruthless, not hiding a sadistic smile on his face.

The feeling of immense power filled his veins. He was the ruler of an army, that would bow to him, fillfill every wish he could have. How could he not succed with his plan to extinguish U-DO?! Nothing else would now hold a threat against him. Soon he was ready to get started...until then he had enough toys around him to keep himself amused.

...

**End chapter 9**

* * *

><p><strong>So is Nidhogg really all that strong? Or are the URTVs seeing a truth that he is not aware off? Is there a chance to free Rubedo, or will Albedo and Gaignun have to do something horrible to save the universe from the crazy URTV number zero? Well, my secret. ;) Hope to see you in the next chapter!<strong>

**Little translation: * 14P2 = Number 14 from Project two (meaning that he continued Yuriev's project, which would have been Project one)  
><strong>

**Sorge ist mein Schwert =Anxiety is my sword  
><strong>


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